In The Midst of it All
by NickyM96
Summary: JASAM 2006. Finding love, faith, devotion, and a new direction when all hope seems lost.
1. Chapter 1

Title: In the Midst of It All  
Author: Nicky  
Rating: PG

Summary: Finding love, faith, devotion, and a new direction when all hope seems lost. This story is set late November/early December of 2006.

Disclaimer: These characters don't belong to me. They're currently being abused by the yahoos at ABC. I'm just trying to let them have a little fun.

Author Notes: _Written December 2006 – March 2007._

Warning: This story is not at all Liz friendly. So if you're a fan, either steer clear, or don't give me any grief.

In the Midst of it All  
Chapter 1

_When Love Isn't Enough_

The knock on the door scares her. She wishes it was Jason, but she knows it isn't. He's still a fugitive on the run. And besides, he wouldn't knock on his own door.

"Lucky," she says with some surprise when she opens it. "What can I do for you?"

"Sam," he nods in greeting. "Can I come in?"

"I'm not sure I should be talking to you without my lawyer."

"This doesn't have anything to do with your case," he assures her. "I just have some questions about where Jason is."

"No offense, but that has EVERYTHING to do with my case," she tells him, but she decides to let him into the penthouse anyway. "He's trying to find the guy who can prove that I was set up with that bogus flash drive."

"Are you still maintaining that the DA is trying to frame you?" Lucky asks skeptically. "Why would he do that, Sam?"

She gets up to go get a glass of water, drinking it slowly to try to figure out what to tell him . . . or not. But she decides he needs to know everything to realize how sick and twisted Ric has become.

"Can you swear to me that this is off the record? We're kind of family, Lucky, with your brother being my cousin and all. Can you do me this one favor and keep what we say just between us?"

"Okay, Sam," he agrees. "For right now. But if you tell me where Jason is, then . . ."

"I don't know where he is. And even if I did, I wouldn't tell you. This has nothing to do with where Jason is or what he's doing. Not directly, anyway. This has to do with why you shouldn't trust Ric."

"And why shouldn't I trust him?"

She takes a deep breath and she tells him. She tells him about how she slept with him, how Jason saw and how Ric has been trying to get back at the both of them ever since.

"But you and Jason are together now," Lucky says, trying to process the shocking events. "He forgave you for betraying him? He walked in on you sleeping with another man and he can live with that? How?"

"That part of the story is irrelevant," she says, taking another gulp of water.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry. It's just . . . well, your story gives me hope that maybe one day Elizabeth and I can work out our differences. Maybe one day, I can get her to forgive me. Although, it would help if she would even speak to me," he says sadly.

"Maybe she just needs time," Sam offers, though she's sure all the time won't help Lucky. Not with Elizabeth, anyway. Not if Lucky isn't who she wants. But Sam realizes that it's not for her to tell.

"Can I ask you something?" He looks uncomfortable all of a sudden and Sam has the sinking feeling she's not going to like what he has to say.

"Do I have to answer?" she replies glibly, trying to inject some levity into the situation.

"Do you ever get the feeling that Jason has feelings for Elizabeth?"

She sighs. She hates it when she's right.

"He tells me they're friends, that they've been friends for a long time. I believe him."

She pretends to busy herself with something else to avoid his cop stare as it probes her for the truth.

"Yeah, friends," he sighs. "He's the only friend she has that she'll risk her life and freedom for. You know she almost went to jail this summer when she assisted on that illegal surgery of yours. And she refused to let me get her out. And years ago, when she used to paint at her studio she . . . the studio."

Sam catches the knowing look in his eyes and starts to worry.

"She lied to me. She flat out lied to me," he says more to himself than to Sam. "She's been hiding him at her studio this whole time, hasn't she?"

"I haven't seen him there," Sam bends the truth. "I promise you."

"The night he was shot, she came into Kelly's with what looked like blood on her dress. She's been helping him this whole time. No wonder we couldn't find him."

"Lucky, don't jump to any conclusion, especially when your heart is involved. You don't know . . . "

"You're right. I don't know. But I know a way to find out. Can I borrow your phone?"

Without waiting on her to answer, he picks it up and dials the studio. Normally, when he calls at times he knows she's there, he gets the machine. But this time, it's picked up on the first ring.

"Jason?" she answers anxiously. "Is that you? Where are you?"

Trying to contain his temper is hard. But now is not the time to lose it. Not when his suspicions have just been verified and he still has a fugitive to find. He'll have to deal with his wife's lies later.

"No. It's Lucky," he says after a long silence. "But I think it's interesting to note that you'd take Jason Morgan's phone call over your own husband's."

"What are you doing calling from Jason's?"

'_How do you know where I'm calling from?_' Lucky wants to ask, but doesn't. The answer to that question is obvious.

"I'm here talking to Sam. And I think now, it's time I talk to you."

"Oh no," she gasps. "You know, don't you? She told you, didn't she?"

"Sam has helped open my eyes to a few things. Just meet me at Kelly's in 20 minutes," he says, before brusquely hanging up the phone.

"You knew she helped him, didn't you?" he asks, turning to Sam.

"Lucky, I . . ." She just shrugs. Even though this conversation is supposedly off the record, she still doesn't want to answer anything incriminating. "I don't know what to tell you."

He just nods and walks out the door. After a few moments, she follows. She may not be too fond of Liz, but she wants to at least warn her about what Lucky knows for sure and what he only suspects. If anything, she wants to make sure, for Jason's sake, the woman doesn't say anything stupid and incriminating about him.

With Lucky a few minutes ahead of her, Sam is relieved to run into Liz on the docks as she's on her way to Kelly's. She calls out to her and runs over to her, thankful to have gotten to her before Lucky did.

"You vindictive witch," Elizabeth screeches, launching herself at Sam and landing a stinging slap across her face before Sam realizes what's going on.

"What?" Sam asks, confused at the woman's accusations. "What is wrong with you?"

"You are! How could you do it, Sam? Are you that threatened by me? Did you have to ruin my marriage?"

Elizabeth jumps on her again, this time knocking Sam to the ground. Unwilling to hurt the pregnant woman, Sam doesn't do more than take defensive measures to protect herself from Elizabeth's blows. One move, however, catches Elizabeth in the nose, causing bright red blood to spurt across her face.

Elizabeth screams and starts to attack again, but this time she's stopped when Nikolas pulls her off of Sam.

"What's going on here?" Lucky demands to know, coming up behind his brother.

"Sam and her big mouth, that's what," Liz rages.

"Sam, how could you?" Nikolas asks her. "She's pregnant. Why are you fighting her like this?"

"Me? Are you kidding me? I didn't do anything!"

"Right. Only try to ruin my marriage by telling husband how I slept with Jason!" Liz yells. And that brings about a stunned silence from them all.

"What did you just say?" Lucky manages after a few moments. "You did what? You slept with him? With Jason? When? Why?"

Tears of horror flood down her face as she realizes what just happened.

"You said you already knew, that Sam told you."

"I thought you were talking about hiding Jason in your studio after he was shot. And I never said Sam told me anything. I put two and two together and figured it out myself."

"Sam and I will go and give the two of you some privacy," Nikolas offers. He grabs Sam's arm, but she snatches it away, a betrayed look on her face.

"I'm not going anywhere with you, Nikolas. I thought we were family. But you were so quick to think the worst of me while protecting your precious Elizabeth."

"Sam, don't . . ."

"Just forget it," she says, walking off, but not far enough so she can't hear. She watches Nikolas walk off in the other direction while she hides where Elizabeth and Lucky can't see her. She wouldn't miss this conversation for the world.

"So," she hears Lucky say. "What does this mean for us? I cheated, so you cheated? Is that supposed to make us even or something? Or has this been going on with Jason for awhile?"

"How dare you accuse me of cheating on you. Lucky, you cheated on me. When I saw you in bed with Maxie yet again, when you chose her and drugs over me and our family, our marriage was over."

"So that gives you free reign to go sleep with Jason?"

"Jason and I did nothing wrong. He was there for me when I needed him."

"Nothing wrong? It was wrong of me to sleep with Maxie. I admit that, Elizabeth. But it's all right for you to sleep with Jason because I cheated first? Is that really the logic you're using here?"

"You have NO right to be mad at me," she screams at him. "You gave up any right to me the minute you laid down with another woman."

"So that's it? It's over? Just like that? What about our family? What about Cam and this ba- . . . "

The guilty look on her face says it all. And Sam can hardly contain her gasp of shock at the sudden realization that strikes both her and Lucky at the same time.

"This baby is Jason's, isn't it?"

Liz looks up at him with tears in her eyes.

"Lucky, I'm so sorry."

"You lied to me."

"I was trying to protect you," she claims. "When you found out I was pregnant, I didn't know who the father was. And when I got the test results, you were doing so well in rehab. I didn't want you to relapse."

"So you lied for my own good," he says, a mirthless chuckle on his lips. "That's a good one."

"It's the truth," she swears, wiping the tears from her cheeks.

"No, the truth is that you lied to me. About sleeping with Jason. About this baby being Jason's. About hiding Jason. And probably a lot of other things I don't know about that have to do with Jason."

"Jason's my friend," she tries to explain.

"A friend that you're in love with."

Liz just looks down.

"Not going to deny it? No. I didn't think so," Lucky sighs. "I can't say I blame you, though. I wasn't much of a husband to you this summer."

"Lucky, I . . ."

"Don't say it. Just don't say anything unless you're telling me you're willing to give me another chance. A real chance. Not just your second choice because you can't have Jason."

She looks down again.

"Oh," he gasps, as if sucker punched. "I guess I can't blame you for wanting to be with your baby's father."

"Don't do this, Lucky," Elizabeth pleads. "Don't try to make me feel guilty for not wanting to stay in a marriage you wrecked."

"You're right," he shrugs. "I wrecked it all by myself. But it staying wrecked . . . I had some help with that part. You don't want to be married to me anymore. I understand that now. And I won't stand in your way."

Sam stays in her hiding spot until Lucky and Liz go their separate ways. Not knowing what else to do, she sinks onto a bench when her legs don't support her anymore. It's hardly shocking that Liz wants to be with Jason. But the news that she's having his baby . . . it's more than Sam knows how to deal with. She always suspected it, even though the woman denied it. But to know it for a fact is mind boggling. Now what is she going to do?

To be continued . . .


	2. Chapter 2

In the Midst of it All  
Chapter 2

_Where Do We Go From Here?_

She knew he'd be coming home tonight. She felt it, felt him. The way she can always feel him. Even that night with Ric she felt him without realizing he was actually there. She had closed her eyes, felt the touches and kisses and could swear it was Jason right there making love to her. She wanted so badly for it to be him. And she was so sickened the next morning to realize that it wasn't.

"Sam," he calls out to her.

She smiles at her reflection in the window, her shattered image distorted by the bullet hole he has yet to get fixed.

"You're home," she says, turning around and running into his arms. She holds onto him for dear life, trying not to imagine this being the last time she'll be able to do so. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you," he mumbles into her hair as his nose burrows through to her neck. "I missed holding you like this."

"It's been too long," she whispers, rubbing her lips gently against his.

He takes over the kiss and leaves her trembling in his arms.

"Way too long," he groans as she wraps her legs around his waist, partially from the sensual feel of her body rubbing against his, but mostly from the pain of his bullet wound. "Sam, baby. My leg."

"Sorry," she apologizes, jumping down, but not pulling away. "I was going to make you carry me upstairs, but I guess we'll have to stay right here, in front of the fire."

She plants a row of kisses down the column of his neck, feeling his pulse about to burst through his skin.

"Sam," he whimpers as her hands get restless on his body. "We need to talk. About the charges, the flash drive, the . . . "

He loses his train of thought when her small hands find a part of him that's straining and aching to reach her.

"Later," she purrs, giving him a good squeeze through his jeans. "We'll talk later. About everything."

She pushes away the feeling of dread at what she'll have to tell him and tries to revel in the feelings he's stirring in her.

_'Please don't let it be the last time,'_ she prays silently. No matter what happens, she has to make sure they get through this together.

Hours later, she's back in the same spot she was before, standing in front of the window, staring out at the world beyond the penthouse. Some days, she wishes they could lock themselves away from it all and live in their own, private little world. But unfortunately for them, real life, real problems, always seem to surface. Problems that always manage to threaten to blow their world apart.

"What are you doing up?" he yawns, walking up behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist. He lays his head on top of hers and sighs as the warm scent of her hair fills his senses.

"Just thinking," she says, enjoying these last few moments of peace she's about to shatter. "Thinking about how much I love you. You'll remember that, won't you? I love you, Jason. More than anything in this world. And I won't give you up without a fight."

He senses the sadness in her, can hear the tears in her voice and turns her to face him, his concern etched on his face.

"What is it, Sam? You're scaring me? Are you worried about the charges against us? All but your murder charge have been dropped. And my lawyer is pretty sure that Alexis will be able to prove self defense on that. There's not much of a case against you there, either."

"So, you were able to find Spinelli?" she asks, pulling away from him and walking over to sit on the sofa.

"Yeah, and then we turned ourselves in. Once he showed them how he manufactured the flash drive, and once they discovered the original had been mysteriously misplaced, the case against us fell apart."

"That's good," she nods. "The last thing you need to be worried about right now is going to jail or being on the run. Especially now. And a few months from now."

"Sam, what . . ."

"Just let me take a moment, okay? This is going to be hard for me to say."

"Just say it." He takes her hands in his own and brings them up to his lips. "Whatever it is, I promise you we'll get through it together."

"Don't make promises, Jason. Not right now. Not when you don't know what I'm going to say."

"I love you, Sam. Of course I can promise you that . . . "

She puts her finger up to his lips to stop him.

"Don't," she whispers. "Just . . . just don't, okay?"

She goes back to the window, unable to look at him. She thought she could, but it'll be easier if she doesn't.

"Lucky came by here, about a week ago, I guess. He was looking for you. We ended up talking and stuff. I tried to convince him how bad Ric has gotten and he needed proof. So I told him about that night. About what I did and how you saw."

"What did he say?"

"He was shocked, of course. Mostly because you didn't kill Ric and because we were able to move past it and work things out. It gave him hope that the same could happen for him and Elizabeth."

"Did you tell him about what happened with Elizabeth and me?"

She tries to control the brief flash of anger, but realizes his question is understandable.

"No. I wanted to, but it wasn't my place to tell him that. But he found out anyway."

"What? Lucky knows?"

"And from there, he realized something that even I was trying to deny." She turns around, as hard as it will be, she has to face him for this. "Liz admitted to him that you, not Lucky, are the father of her baby."

The look on his face would be almost comical if this weren't so serious.

"She . . . said . . . what?"

Sam can't bring herself to say it again. She just looks at him, tears in her eyes, and watches as he slowly processes the news.

"I'm the father? She's having _my_ baby? But she told me that Lucky . . . that I . . . are you sure? I mean, are you sure you didn't just misunderstand?"

"I'm sure," she nods, holding her head down. The tears drip down her cheeks and she just lets them. She pleads silently for Jason to come to her, but she knows he won't. She knows what he has to do.

He moves around the room in a daze, picking up the clothes that she tore off of him in a daze the night before and putting them all back on.

"I have to . . . I need to talk to her," he says apologetically when he sees the devastation on Sam's face.

"I know," she sighs, turning back to the window.

"I'll be back."

She hears the door close behind her and just shakes her head. Because a part of her doesn't believe that he will be.

- - -

The papers are in her hand, but she still can't quite believe it. She's not sure whether she's happy, relieved, sad, or what. Too many emotions are flying around her already emotional mind. The knock at the door, however, doesn't give her much chance to think about it.

"Jason," she says, tears springing to her eyes. "You're back."

She goes to hug him, but his cold stare stops her.

"What's wrong?"

"I need to come in, Elizabeth."

She steps out of the way and lets him inside, unsure of why he's there. But then she realizes he must have seen Sam. And she must have told him about Lucky finding out about their affair.

"Sam told you that Lucky knows? About us, I mean?" she asks hesitantly, remembering what happened the last time she gave away too much information.

"Yeah. I take it he didn't take the news too well." He nods to the papers in her hand, her divorce papers.

"Can you believe him? He's the one who cheats and has the nerve to divorce me when he finds out he drove me into another man's arms. He went to the Dominican Republic to make sure it was over quickly."

"Maybe he just got tired of the lies. Like I am," he says, his cold stare starting to scare her now.

"Lies? What are you . . ."

She gasps and covers her stomach with her hands with his gaze drops there.

"Lies about who's the father of that baby you're carrying. I want you to look me in the eyes, Elizabeth, and tell me now. Tell me the truth. Am I that baby's father?"

"Yes," she whispers, the nods to emphasize. "Yes, you are."

"And before when you told me that I wasn't?"

"I was going to tell you. I came to the penthouse that day, but by the time I got there, you had already heard what Carly had assumed to be the truth. And you sounded so relieved that you wouldn't have been saddled with a kid from a woman you didn't love. You were trying to put things back together with Sam by that point and Lucky . . . he was in rehab and turning his life around for this baby. I couldn't risk a relapse. Jason, you have to believe me," she cries, turning from him and dropping to the couch. "Please don't hate me. I wasn't trying not to hurt anyone and it turns out that I've hurt everyone."

Her tears come harder and when she goes to blow her nose, blood comes out, scaring Jason to death.

"Elizabeth, your nose!"

"What?" She looks down at the tissue and frowns. "Oh that. It's nothing. It's from that fight with Sam."

"What fight?"

"How do you think Lucky found out about us, Jason? Sam set it up. She told him just enough to get his mind working and then stood there while I blurted the whole thing out to him after she made me think she had already told him. I don't understand why she would do that, Jason. Why would she deliberately try to destroy my life like that?"

"Sam wouldn't do that," he insists. "You must have misunderstood the situation."

"Really? So this bloody nose was just a 'misunderstanding' as well? Granted, I hit her first. But I did it because she was just standing there with that cocky smirk on her face."

"Maybe the two of you should just stay away from each other for awhile," he suggests, rubbing the spot on his forehead that's starting to pound. "This tension can't be good for you or for . . . the baby."

He looks down again at the gentle swell of her stomach. His baby. He can't believe it. Though still angry, it doesn't stop the concern he feels for her or his unborn child.

"Other than what happened with Sam, are you . . . I mean, is everything with the baby . . . okay?"

"We're fine," she says with a smile, smoothing her top against her belly so he can see the bulge. "I have to admit, though, that it was stressful keeping this from you. I was just so afraid that you'd hate me. And I can already see how much Sam resents me. Jason, I don't want to put you in the middle."

"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. And I'll do right by this baby, Elizabeth," he swears. "I'll talk to Sam and get this whole mess straightened out."

"I don't know how," Elizabeth sniffs. "She hates me, Jason. And she's going to say or do anything to turn you against me. She acts like this is my fault when she was the one who betrayed you."

"That's Sam's and my business to work out. Just as this baby is your and my business," he assures her. "I'm not saying it won't be tough. But as the adults, we're the ones who are going to have to make the sacrifices because it's this baby that matters most."

"Thank you," she says, wiping one last tear from her cheek. "Thank you for not hating me for keeping this secret from you for so long."

"I'm angry, Elizabeth. Don't get me wrong. I hate what you did. But I can see you did what you did to try to make everyone else happy, and at a great expense to you."

"You're a great guy." She gives him a shy smile and then leans over to hug him.

"It's going to work out." He pats her on the back and stands up to leave. "I need to get home. Sam's going to be worried. Are you going to be okay? I mean, with money and stuff? I'm not sure what kind of arrangements you and Lucky made as far as support . . ."

"We'll be okay. Lucky agreed to move out of this apartment so that the kids and I can have a place to ourselves. We'll have to move soon for more space, but for right now, we're fine."

"Promise me you'll let me help," he begs her. "And promise me we'll work out something so that I can be a part of this baby's life."

"I won't keep you from your child, Jason. But you have to understand my reluctance about Sam. She's . . . unstable at best. Especially since she lost her own child and I'm having yours."

"I understand," he nods. "We'll talk."

He shuts the door behind him and lets out a sigh. He can't help feeling like he's being torn in half. As a man, he has the obligation to protect his child and the woman carrying it. But how does he reconcile that the threat is coming from the woman he loves more than anything in the world?

He leaves the building, deciding the take the long way home and walk. He'll send someone back for his car later. He needs some time to think. To sort.

He can understand the pain Sam's in. But does that give her the right to put Elizabeth through that kind of torment just because some faulty condoms left her with an unfortunate reminder of a night that should have never happened?

What about the next few months. As Elizabeth grows larger and larger with his child, and the child begins to kick and move and gets ready to be born. How will that affect Sam? How will he help her deal with her own grief while he prepares to welcome his child into the world? How is this going to ever work?

"You've been gone awhile."

The voice startles him. He looks around and sees Sam standing at the other end of the docks, apparently where his mindless wandering has led him.

"Are you okay?" she asks, true concern in her eyes. And also some fear. Some worry. But mostly doubt. It kills Jason to see it staring back at him. It kills him that he's the reason for it.

"I will be," he says, walking over to her and placing a warm, gentle kiss on her forehead. "We all will be."

He wraps his arms around her and they sway together for a few moments.

"Did you speak with Elizabeth?"

"Yeah. She admitted that the baby's mine. She explained why she kept it from me. She was only trying to do what she thought was best for me and Lucky. But that coward up and leaves her anyway. She's all alone now."

"Excuse me?" Sam asks, a look of disbelief on her face. She pushes away from Jason and stares up at him, just to be sure he's not joking.

"Yeah, he went to the Dominican Republic for a quickie divorce, not willing to work things out. It was fine when he was the one sleeping around, but let her make one mistake, a mistake caused by his continual infidelity, mind you, and it's all over."

"She told you that? That Lucky left her because she slept with you?"

"Well, no. Not exactly. But she was crying when I got there. She had just gotten the divorce papers. She told me that he got one as soon as he found out about what happened between us."

"Did she happen to mention how Lucky offered to work things out with her, but she wasn't interested because she's in love with you?"

"That's crazy," Jason laughs. "Where did you hear that?"

"From Lucky and Elizabeth. I heard everything they said. How do you think I know about the baby being yours? They stood right here on the docks and hashed it all out."

"And you listened?"

"Of course I listened. And it's a good thing because already she's starting up again on the half truths."

"Sam, she's just afraid. Mostly of you. She realizes you resent her, but you've got to believe me when I say that I love you. I don't love her. So going around picking fights with her isn't going help anyone."

"Wait a minute. She said I started that fight?" Sam screeches, her mouth wide open in shock.

"So you admit that there was a fight," he nods. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"Because it wasn't much of a fight, Jason. She started hitting me and I . . ."

"Punched her in the nose?"

"No, I didn't punch her. Not on purpose, anyway. I was trying to defend myself and may have inadvertently struck her. But I was trying to keep her from hurting herself more than anything. And why am I standing her explaining myself to you. It's obvious you believe every single word that comes out of her mouth."

She turns to walk away, but he grabs her arm to stop her.

"Sam, don't. Don't do this."

"Don't do what?"

"I don't want to fight with you. I don't want any of us to fight. But we're all going to have to come to terms with each other. Pretty soon, there's going to be a baby in this world that's going to need both a mother and a father. Just because Elizabeth and I aren't together, doesn't mean we can't provide those things for the baby. Will you be able to handle that?"

"I won't go up to her with the intention of fighting with her, if that's what you're asking."

"Or getting into her personal business with Lucky anymore," he adds. "I realize that it was only fair that the truth came out, but it wasn't your place to tell Lucky."

"I didn't tell Lucky," she reminds him.

"Maybe not, but setting it up so he finds out is the same . . ."

"A set up? Is that what she said, too? First that I punched her and then that I set her up? And you believed her?"

"I had no reason not to, Sam. Especially with that bloody nose you gave her."

He should have seen it coming. Especially with that particular shade of red he's never seen her face turn. Suddenly instead of talking about bloody noses, he was sporting one.

"Ow," he yells when her fist connects with his face. "Sam! What the . . . umph!"

This time she punches him in the stomach, leaving him bent over and gasping for air. He takes one painful breath and gets barely enough air in his lungs to call out to her. But it's too late. She's gone.

"Now what am I going to do?" he groans as the pain continues to throb. But he realizes it's not from his nose or his stomach where she hit him. But from his heart that she just ripped out and stomped on.

Or maybe it was the other way around. Maybe he's the one that just did the ripping and stomping.

Why is it that he suddenly feels like the lowest form of scum?

To be continued . . .


	3. Chapter 3

In the Midst of it All  
Chapter 3

_One Good Turn Deserves Another_

Knowing he can't stay curled up on the docks all day, Jason rises, intent on finding Sam. He searches his pocket for a handkerchief or tissue or something to stop the bleeding, but curses loudly, and rather inventively, when he finds none.

"Wow, kiss your mother with that mouth?"

He looks up to see Carly's smiling face as she comes towards him. The grin turns to panic when she sees his condition.

"Jason," she gasps. "What happened to you? Are you all right? Did someone attack you?"

"I'm okay. I just need something to . . . " he points to his still bleeding nose and is relieved when she gets the picture and finds him some tissue.

"Come over here to the bench and sit down," she directs him, holding his head back to stop the blood from dripping all over him. "Now, are you going to tell me what happened, or what?"

Knowing she won't let it go, he tells her everything. About Liz and the baby and about Liz and Sam. When he's done, she's uncharacteristically quiet. It should have been his first warning.

"So let me get this straight. After Sam tells you that Elizabeth has been lying for months about you being the father of her baby, you leave Sam all alone and go to Elizabeth. And then come back, not only defending Elizabeth's decision to lie to you about said child, but also believing Elizabeth when she said Sam attacked her?"

"When you put it that way, you sound an awful lot like Sam," he pouts. "You two are a lot alike when it comes to Elizabeth, you know. What is it that the two of you don't like about her?"

"What is it about Elizabeth that makes you take her side over the side of the woman you love? Why would you believe Elizabeth, who's just admitted to lying to you for months, over a woman you supposedly love and trust, who's just put her very happiness in jeopardy to tell you a truth that you deserved?"

There it is again. That pang of guilt that makes him feel like slime.

"I just wanted to keep the peace. I feel horrible that Sam resents the fact that Liz is having my baby, but . . ."

Carly moans and holds up a finger to stop him.

"Tell me you didn't say that to Sam. The part about her resenting Liz?"

"Well, it's obvious that Sam has issues with Liz, or else she wouldn't have hauled off and hit her, especially with her being pregnant."

"Men are such pigs," she growls, her eyes squinting down to tiny slits. "You being the biggest one of all!"

He should have seen it coming. Especially since the look on her face resembled the look on Sam's face not ten minutes ago. But before he realizes what's happening, his eye explodes with pain as Carly's fist makes contact.

"Carly!"

"Look at that," she says, glancing down at her swollen fist. "I guess Sam and I are a lot more alike than even you realized."

She walks off, leaving him nursing his bloody nose and newly blackened eye. Despite Jason's behavior, she knows he's just being stupid and . . . well, a male. She can't let him lose the best thing that's ever happened to him. Okay, she'll admit that she doesn't really like Sam. At least, she never used to like her. She has to admit that the girl has earned a lot of her respect in the past few months. But she hates Elizabeth even more. And she refuses to let Elizabeth drive Sam from Jason's life. When all is said and done, Sam is the lesser of two evils in this case.

She walks to Jake's and isn't surprised to see Sam sitting at the bar, nursing a beer, and the same swollen knuckles Carly now has. It's exactly what she would have done. At least Jason was right about one thing. Her and Sam really are a lot alike.

"Got an ice pack to spare?" Carly asks, holding up her hand for Sam to see.

"I rammed mine into something stubborn and unyielding. How about you?"

"You got the nose, I got the eye," Carly winks. "I figure by tomorrow, he'll look like he just went five rounds with the heavy weight champ instead of two lightweight girls."

"How is he?" Sam asks hesitantly, guilt written all over her face.

"Oh, no you don't. Jason had it coming. Don't you dare feel bad for giving him what he deserves." Carly sits down and motions for the bartender. "He told me the whole story. About the baby. And about how he went to Liz and let her put the whammy on him."

"Whammy, huh?" Sam smiles . . . barely. Carly sees now that she has her work cut out for her.

"Oh no. Not the two of you. Uh uh. Get away from my bar."

They both look up to see Coleman coming out of a back storeroom.

"What?" Carly asks innocently.

"The last time the two of you were in here together, you tore the place up. I don't care how much money your man has. I don't want my bar trashed again."

"Relax, Coleman. Carly and I haven't fought with each other in at least . . . what, a month? Two?"

"At least," Carly adds. They give Coleman angelic smiles until he reluctantly lets them stay. They sip on their drinks in silence while Carly thinks of a way to fix this.

"Is this how it was for you? I mean, with me? When I was having Sonny's baby?" she asks her companion in a quiet, unsure voice.

Carly takes a deep breath and puts her drink down.

"I hated you, Sam. I thought you were a manipulative, home wrecking slut who set your sights on my husband and got yourself pregnant to keep him."

Sam just nods, letting it sink in.

"But, I knew I was wrong. I mean, not the part about you wanting my husband. Because I know you wanted him. But the thing that makes this situation different than mine is that Sonny wanted you too. We wrecked what we had together and I moved on. I just couldn't handle it when he moved on, too. And I took it out on you because he wanted to be with you."

"I wrecked me and Jason. And he went to Elizabeth. She didn't have to drag him to bed kicking and screaming," Sam points out.

"But it was a one time thing, Sam. It's nothing that he would ever do again and you know that. Don't you think I know that Sonny asked you to continue to be his mistress, even after I had moved back in? He let you believe that the two of you could still work. And I know that after he broke it off, you respected that decision."

"But you still hated me, Carly."

"Because I saw my best friend falling in love with you, Sam."

Sam gives her a skeptical look and shakes her head.

"Yes, Sam. Even back when you were pregnant, when I was trying to push him and Courtney back together, I saw the feelings Jason had for you. He loves you. And even though he's being a jerk right now, he's not intentionally trying to hurt you. There's just something about women like Elizabeth that make men like Jason fawn all over her. She plays helpless and angelic like a pro."

"And she's anything but," Sam scoffs, taking a big chug to finish her beer and orders another. "She gives as good as she gets, let me tell you. But when Jason shows up, it's a whole new story. She gets that innocent look on her face and starts batting those eyelashes at him and he buys into that act."

"Sounds like you have a story or two," Carly says, inspiration suddenly striking her. She reaches into her pocket and pulls out her cell phone, pretending to check it for messages, but really sets it on record mode. Jason may be blind to Elizabeth's schemes, but he won't be deaf to them. He'll hear soon enough what she's really been up to. "Why don't you tell me exactly what happened between you and Elizabeth the other night.

- - -

The pounding on the door rivals the pounding in his head. He's reluctant to get up and answer it, but he knows he must. When he opens the door and sees who's standing on the other side, however, he wishes he had just ignored this visitor.

"What are you doing here, Lucky?"

"What happened to you?" At Jason's growl, Lucky just throws up his hands and withdraws the question. "Nevermind. Forget I asked."

"Are you here in your official capacity or what, Spencer? Whatever it is, just take it up with my lawyer. I have no use for you anymore."

Lucky holds his anger in check, knowing that it won't be productive if he and Jason start pummeling each other. Looks like guy has been pummeled enough for the day anyway.

"For your information," Lucky says, "I no longer have an official capacity. I quit the force."

"You quit? Guess that shouldn't surprise me," Jason scoffs. "Giving up and walking away seems to be your thing these days."

"You're talking about Elizabeth," Lucky nods, realizing now the source of Jason's venom. "So I guess you know what happened when you were gone. That Elizabeth and I are now divorced."

"She loves you, Lucky. How could you leave her alone?"

"If you knew she loved me so much, how could you sleep with her?"

Lucky just closes his eyes and shakes his head.

"Forget I said that," he says again. "I'm not here today to accuse you of anything. Losing Elizabeth was entirely my fault. I can only blame myself that she turned to you."

"Lucky, we all made the decisions to do what we did that night. And before that night. Elizabeth wouldn't have come here that night if she hadn't seen you with Maxie, but then you wouldn't have been with Maxie if it weren't for the drugs. You wouldn't have been on the drugs if you hadn't been hurt by Manny. And you wouldn't have been hurt by Manny if I had killed him when I had the chance. I wouldn't have been with Elizabeth that night if I hadn't seen Sam with Ric. But then she wouldn't have been with Ric if I hadn't pushed her away. I wouldn't have pushed her away if Manny hadn't shot her. And Manny wouldn't have shot her if I had killed him."

"So you're saying we can blame all this on Manny? Or your ineptitude as a hitman?"

For some reason, that amuses them both and they break out into deep, grumbling chuckles.

"For the record, and since you're not a cop anymore, I am very good at my job," Jason points out. "I can't help it if that weasel had nine lives."

"I'm glad he's dead and gone. I'm leaving town for awhile. And while I'm away, I'll know that Elizabeth, and the baby, will be safe. I'm sure I can count on you for that."

"Because the baby is mine," Jason says, just to get it out.

"Oh, so she did tell you," Lucky nods. "I wasn't sure."

"Is that why you left her? Because you didn't want to raise another man's child?"

"No. I would have loved that baby as my own. And you may not want to hear this, but I would have kept the secret from you forever if that's what she wanted. I would have done that for you and for my family. But Elizabeth has her own ideas of who she wants as the lead role in her family now. And it's not me, Pal. It's you."

Lucky pats him on the shoulder and leaves him standing there in a stunned trance.

_'Lucky offered to work things out with her, but she wasn't interested because she's in love with you,'_ Sam had said. But he didn't believe her. About that and about other stuff. But he can get the whole story now.

"Lucky, wait. I need to ask you one more thing before you go."

"Yeah?"

"What happened on the docks with Sam and Elizabeth? Did you see how their fight started?"

"It wasn't so much of a fight as it was Elizabeth attacking Sam and Sam doing her best not to hurt Elizabeth. Nikolas and I came in the middle of it and pulled them apart. You have to realize that Elizabeth was confused. She thought Sam had told me about the two of you and it upset her."

"Did she? Tell you about the baby, that is? Or drop any hints that would make you suspicious?"

"Who Sam? Are you kidding me? I had no idea. From the way she acted when I spoke to her earlier that day, I never would have guessed that she had even known about it."

Jason sighs and nods his thanks, letting Lucky out with a pained smile. The guilt just keeps piling up. And with every minute that passes, he realizes he's that much of an idiot. He didn't even bother to ask her side of the story. He just assumed that Elizabeth was telling him the truth, despite the lies she had just told him. He has to find Sam and make this right.

He calls around for a few hours, trying to find her, but isn't successful. All he can do now is hope that one of his men finds her soon or that she comes home so that he can make it up to her. Then together, they can figure out what to do about Elizabeth and the creative stories she's been telling.

The smell of food wafting through the door excites his empty stomach, making him realize he hasn't eaten all day. He opens the door just as Elizabeth is about to knock.

"Good, you're home," she smiles. The smile fades when she gets a look at his face. "Jason . . ."

"I know, I know. It's not as bad as it looks, though. What are you doing here?"

"It's my lunch break, so I decided to come by so we could talk about the baby. But now, I have to see to your face. What happened?"

She pushes her way inside, even though he had no intention of inviting her, and sets the bag of food on the desk. She searches through the drawers for a first aid kid, but only manages to find his gun box instead.

"Elizabeth," he says, moving her hand from the drawer and closing it. "I'm fine. I'm at risk for things like this happening every day."

"I know," she says. She walks over to the couch and sits down. "I just thought you'd be more careful now that you know about the baby."

"Does that scare you? My life? My job?"

"Of course it does, Jason. What woman wouldn't be frightened to death?

"Sam," he smiles. "I mean, yeah, she's afraid. And she worries. But she trusts me to take care of myself and to come back to her."

"No offense, but that doesn't say a lot about your girlfriend," Elizabeth says. She stands up to get the food from the desk and brings it back to the couch.

"Actually, that _is_ very offensive to me. I love Sam. She's the woman I choose to spend the rest of my life with. I won't have you insulting her. Elizabeth, if this is going to be successful, you're going to have to start respecting Sam's place in my life."

"And you're going to have to respect my decisions on who I want to be around my child. Sam would not be on the top of that list. She's volatile, she's violent, and she hates me.

"Sam is neither of those things," he explains to her because he can see that she really believes what she's saying. "She would never hurt you or this baby in any way. I'm sorry if you can't see that for whatever reason. But I'm not going to cut her out of any part of my life, including that of my child's."

"For whatever reason? No, Jason. I have _plenty_ of reasons. The woman attacked me," she says, emphasizing her words by pointing to her still slightly bruised nose. "She deliberately set out to ruin my life. She got you shot. And she betrayed you by sleeping with her mother's husband. Her mother's husband! What kind of woman does that, Jason? Even she can't answer that question when I ask her!"

The outburst shocks him. She never realized Elizabeth could be so rigid and judgmental.

"I told you about Sam and Ric in confidence, Elizabeth. I told that to you as a friend. I never guessed you'd be so cruel as to throw that mistake in Sam's face every chance you got. What happens between me and Sam is for me and Sam to deal with. You have no right judging her for the mistakes she's made and that we've dealt with."

"I have that right when it's my child's life on the line. I have that right when she goes around killing teenagers and traumatizing her little sister. I have that right when she constantly puts my child's father's life in danger by getting herself into idiotic situations he has to rescue her from!"

"Wow. Okay. You need to calm down, for one," he says, not wanting to stress the baby any more than necessary.

"I'm sorry," she cries, wiping at her moist cheeks. "I get protective of you sometimes. Then my emotions get the better of me."

"I understand," he nods. "I'm protective of the ones I love, too. Which is why you're not going to like what I have to say now."

"Jason?"

"You need to leave. And don't come back unless I invite you," he starts. "If you need to see me regarding the baby, call first and I'll meet you and your doctor at the hospital."

"Jason . . ."

He holds up his hand to stop her from interrupting him.

"I'm setting up an account for the baby. One you can access now to handle any expenses you have."

"I don't want your money," she says defensively. But he cuts her off again.

"Well, you're going to get it. This is my child, too. It's my right and my duty to provide for it, no matter how that makes you feel. Just as it's my right to see it. I won't force the custody issue unless you make me. I have no intention of taking this child from you. But I won't let you take it from me, either. Are we clear?"

"Why are you doing this?" she asks tearfully? "We've always been friends, Jason. Why are you letting Sam get in between us?"

"Because I realize we've always been friends on your terms. When you've been having problems with money or with Lucky. But not so much when you're settled and happy. Not so much when you were married to other men. But there always seems to be a problem when I get involved with other women. That's not friendship, Elizabeth. That's you using me when it's convenient for you. And I won't have it anymore."

"I couldn't have said it better myself." Carly pushes her way inside the apartment and stands guard by the door.

"We're in the middle of something, Carly," Elizabeth says, rolling her eyes at the woman. "I'd appreciate it if you would leave."

"Actually, this is how it works. I come in to talk to Jason, he drops everything and talks to me. So you're the one that needs to leave."

"Excuse me?"

"I think we're done here," Jason reiterates. "I'll let you know when the money is in place. And I'll be contacting your doctor to talk about the baby."

Elizabeth stares back and forth between the two of them for a few moments before finally leaving in a huff. She makes sure the door slams behind her when she goes.

"Guess little Miss Muffin Pop was a little upset, huh?" Carly teases.

"That's because you were brash and rude," Jason points out. "But I thank you for it. It was time for her to go."

"It was _past_ time for her to go. Someone needed to put her in her place a long time ago."

"You're right," he nods, causing Carly's mouth to fall open in shock.

"What did you say? That I'm right? Break out the champagne, folks. Jason Morgan has just admitted that I, Carly Corinthos, am right about something!"

"Come on, Carly," he blushes.

"Okay, I'll stop teasing you. I'll just say this one thing and get out of your way. Looks as if Sam and I were able to knock some sense into that hard head of yours regarding Elizabeth."

"You two were right," he admits. "I was an idiot. An apology isn't even enough to make this up to Sam."

"No, it isn't. But she deserves one, nevertheless. And you, my friend, are going to give her one."

Carly pulls Jason up off the couch and pushes him towards the door.

"She's at my house," she tells him when he gives her a questioning glare. "And she's a little . . . um, tipsy."

"Tipsy?"

"Okay, she's passed out drunk. I had to get her liquored up to loosen her tongue, Jason. And she had a few choice things to say about your pal, Elizabeth. Things you're going to want to listen to."

She holds out the CD she had made from the recording on her cell phone. He takes it in his hand and stares at it for a few minutes before looking up at her.

"I love you, Carly. I really don't know what I'd do without you in my life."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," she says, sarcastically to hide the tears in her voice. "Save the mush for Sam. Now go and get your drunken girl out of my house."

No more words are needed, so he just leaves. But it's no wonder so many women love him, Carly thinks to herself. That man is one of a kind. When she hears the elevators doors close, she knows he's gone and starts the next phase of her plan. When Jason gets Sam home, they'll have the surprise of a lifetime.

To be continued . . .


	4. Chapter 4

IN THE MIDST OF IT ALL

Chapter 4

_I'm Afraid the Hurt is Here to Stay_

Carly takes one last look around the penthouse. Flowers are in place. Champagne is chilling. Candles are ready to be lit. She'll leave instructions with one of the guards to light them when the doorman calls up to warn him when Jason and Sam are on the way. This romantic setting should be just what they need.

"I'm good," she says, smiling smugly while standing in the middle of the romantic little haven.

She can't help but wonder why she's doing this, though. She doesn't recall being this determined to help Jason and Sam before. But she realizes that despite all her efforts to the contrary, she's managed to develop a soft spot for Sam. So far, she's been the only woman who's ever been able to give Jason total trust, love and acceptance. He deserves someone like her. She just hopes he doesn't blow it.

- - -

She opens the door just as he's about the knock on it.

"Jason."

"Sam."

They just stare at each other for awhile right there on Carly's porch. To say things are awkward is an understatement.

"I'm sorry," he finally manages to sputter out. "I was wrong for assuming the worst about you and for believing what Elizabeth accused you of."

"I'm sorry you chose to believe her, too."

He looks so pitiful standing there with that black eye and swollen nose. She closes her eyes to avoid the twinge of sympathy she's feeling.

"It hurts, Jason. That you can think the worst of me on her say so. And it hurts how she can make me think the worst of myself." She turns a tear filled gaze on him that has his heart breaking in two. "You may think you need to defend her from me, Jason, but you don't. She can take care of herself. And she has the power to hurt me so much more than I could ever hurt her."

"Sam, I'm sorry," he apologizes again. "You act so tough that sometimes it hard to remember that you need me."

"I am tough," she spits out, her eyes narrowing at the glimmer of amusement on his lips.

"Yeah, I won't make that mistake again," he smiles, gently touching his tender nose. "If you give me another chance?"

She wants to stay mad. But she can't. Not at him. But she still can't bring herself into letting him completely off the hook yet. Not until she feels he's paid adequate penance. A bubble bath, full body massage and pedicure just might do the trick.

"I'll consider it," she says coyly, thoughts of him washing her back bringing a seductive smile to her face. "But, there are a few things you can do to try to convince me."

"Anything," he says quickly. A little too quickly, he realizes when he sees the smile take on a mischievous tone. Suddenly, he feels his knees start to tremble. And he can't tell if it's from arousal or fear.

"Anything, huh? I'll keep that in mind."

She turns around and closes the door to Carly's house, making sure it's locked before they leave.

"But first, you can buy me a cup of coffee. I think I'm still a little tipsy and I want to make sure I have a clear head for what I have in store for you."

Oh yeah, it's fear, all right, he decides. Fear of what kind of scene he'll make if he doesn't get her home, naked, and under him in bed as soon as possible. Something tells him he's going to enjoy making up with her a whole lot. Suddenly, his smile is just as big as hers.

- - -

She waits on the docks for him as he gets coffee for them both from Kelly's. The warmth from the sun on a face is a stunning contrast to the bite of the winter breeze that blows across her skin. She's never felt more alive. Or more content, for some reason. And for some reason, that bothers her. The calm before the storm, perhaps?

"Sam."

She lets out a frustrated sigh.

"Nikolas. I guess you're here to catch the launch. I'll just get out of your way." She stands and starts to walk away, still irritated with him from before.

"Sam, wait. Can we talk?"

She lets out another sigh, but decides to indulge him for a few minutes. Maybe he's ready now to hear the actual story of what happened instead of just going by what he thinks she saw.

"Fine. Are you here to accuse me again of picking on poor, pregnant Elizabeth?"

"Sam, you were behaving badly. I won't apologize for trying to help a friend. But," he says quickly, holding his hand up to stop the comment he sees poised at her lips. "That's not what I'm here to talk to you about."

"Oh, well now I can hardly wait to hear what you'd have to say now," she says sarcastically, rolling her eyes for good measure. "I'm out of here."

"Stop this," Nikolas demands grabbing onto her arm as she's about to stomp off. "Stop this childish behavior. Is Jason really worth your dignity? Would you really ruin an innocent child's life because of your selfishness?"

"What are you talking about?"

"I just left speaking with Liz. And she asked me to appeal to you on her behalf. Actually, no. On Jason's behalf."

"Again, what are you talking about?"

"The baby, Sam. I know it's Jason's."

"So. You have a child with another woman, too. I don't see that stopping you and Emily from being together."

"That's beside the point, Sam. If Courtney were still alive, Emily would have never stood in the way of me being with my child. Do you think it's fair the position you're forcing Jason into?"

"Honestly, though it may not seem like it at the moment, I do know more words than the ones I'm about to repeat. But nevertheless, they're all that applies right now. WHAT . . . ARE . . . YOU . . . TALKING . . . ABOUT?"

"Fine, if you want to play dumb, then I'll explain it to you. When Jason learned about the baby, he went to Elizabeth and they managed to work things out. Then not a few hours later, after a fight with you, he's changed his tune and won't even allow Elizabeth into his house because of you. How could you make him choose between you and his child, Sam?"

"That's not true. I mean, yes. Jason and I did fight, but it had nothing to do with him being a part of his child's life," Sam insists. "I would never force him to give up his child, Nikolas."

"Maybe not intentionally, Sam. But you radiate hurt, anger and resentment over this situation. Jason loves you. I'm sure he did what he thought would make you happy. But you can't let him give up his child because of you. How could you live with yourself?"

"But . . . I didn't do anything," she says, tears of guilt building in her eyes. "How can I fix something I had nothing to do with?"

"Maybe by getting out of the way. Just until things settle down a little. Elizabeth is pregnant, Sam. And her husband has just left her. She's alone and she's scared. Don't you think she deserves to have access to the father of her child?"

"Oh believe me, Nikolas. You don't want me to tell you what I think Elizabeth deserves," she snarls.

"Okay, then forget Elizabeth. What about that baby? Jason's child? Does he or she deserve the best Jason can give? Don't you think that in the long run, Jason would only resent you for keeping him away from his child?"

That quiets her. But she's stubbornly in love with Jason. And unfortunately, this has more to do with just Jason.

"And now for the part you really won't like. It's about Alexis."

"Alexis? What does Alexis have to do with this?"

"Just more incentive for you to maybe give Port Charles a break for awhile." Which was his true goal this afternoon. "Not only to give Jason, Elizabeth, and the baby time to adjust, but also for Alexis. I know you're her daughter, but I've been her only family for a long time and I have to look out for her, even if it means going against you."

"And your point is?"

"You stress her. And now since I've spoken with Elizabeth, I realize why. And I just don't feel as if my sick aunt needs to deal with her own daughter who so . . . rudely, sleeps with her husband in her very own home."

Sam can only gasp, the accusation like a punch to her gut.

"Nikolas, that night . . ."

"Spare me the details," he says, giving her that aristocratic look of disdain he's mastered over the years. "If I can barely stand the sight of you, then I know how Alexis must feel. If you were any kind of daughter, you'd stay away so she can focus on getting better instead of attempting to tolerate you."

And Nikolas can see that his point has been made. He leaves her alone, wallowing in her own misery, to make the decision that's going to be right for all involved.

- - -

Her silence unnerves him. She didn't say one word the entire trip home.

"Are you okay?"

She says nothing. He looks at her eyes and is worried when she appears to be looking at nothing. The room is filled with flowers and candles, but she just ignores them. He'd be offended if he had been the one to set all this up. Must have been Carly. A nice gesture, he'll admit, but seemingly bad timing. He'll have to thank her anyway

"Sam?"

She flinches at his touch, but at least it's a reaction.

"Sam, what's happened?"

She sighs and sets her coffee on the table, her hand shaking like a leaf. He grabs it and leads her to the couch to sit before she falls. When she continues to tremble, he scoops her up and cuddles her in his lap.

"Sam, you're scaring me? What's wrong?"

"Jason, I love you so much," she sighs. "I need you the way I've never needed anyone in my life. You give me so much of yourself that I have to wonder if there's anything left for anyone."

"Sam, I love you too. You have all of me, heart and soul."

"That's what I was afraid of," she sighs, pushing away from him. She gets off his lap and goes upstairs, leaving him alone and confused for a few moments before he follows her.

Rage fills him when he sees her packing her bags.

"Sam! Stop this! What is this about? You're leaving because I tell you that I love you with everything in me?"

"That's exactly why," she cries. "I can't be responsible for taking you away from your child."

"Sam, you aren't. It's going to take some work, but I'm going to be a part of my child's life. I made sure Elizabeth understood that earlier today when I spoke with her."

"When you banished her from your life because of me?"

"Where are you getting this from?" His mood turns even darker, deadlier. "Did she speak with you again? Sam, I found out some of the things she has said to you before that were completely out of line. I made it clear to her that until she can at least respect your place in my life, then I don't want her coming around here."

"You can't just do that, Jason," she says as she continues to pack. "She's carrying your child. You can't put her out of your life because of me without also putting her child out of your life. And I won't be the reason your child doesn't have a father. So I have to go."

"Sam, that's not what happened," he insists, taking her clothes out as she puts them in. "And you're not walking out. Not like this. Not until you tell me what happened."

"I happened!" she screams. "Don't you get it? I'm in the way of everyone having a happy and healthy life. I'm in the way of your baby having a father. I'm in the way of my mother being able to heal herself. So I just have to get out of everybody's way."

She finally dissolves into tears, sinking to the floor when her legs will no longer support her.

"Leaving me will wreck me, Sam," he says to her, kneeling down behind her and wrapping his arms around her. "I love you so much that I can't live without you. If you left, then I'd just follow you."

"That's our selfishness talking. It's the baby that matters, Jason, not us. Not our wants or our desires."

"Sam," he whispers. "Just tell me what happened. Who put all these doubts in your head?"

She's reluctant to say anything, but realizes she won't be going anywhere until Jason lets her go. And he won't let her go until she tells him what happened.

"I ran into Nikolas while you were in Kelly's getting the coffee," she confesses. "He had just had an interesting conversation with Elizabeth and decided that convincing me to leave town would be best for everybody. He said it was selfish and unfair of me to make you choose between me and your child."

"Sam, that's not what happened," he swears.

"If it weren't for me, would you have told Elizabeth you couldn't see her anymore?"

"You're making it seem as if this wasn't my decision. Sam, this isn't just something I'm doing to spare your feelings. For the first time today, I saw a part of Elizabeth I had never seen before. And quite frankly, it scared me a little. She can't seem to grasp the fact that I love you, Sam. That I want to be with you. And that no matter what she says or does, I will always choose you."

"She wants you, Jason. She wants to be with you because she's in love with you."

"I don't think so," he says, shaking his head. "I agree that she wants to be with me, but I don't think she loves me. Because if she loved me, she wouldn't hurt the woman I truly love. If she cared at all about me, then she wouldn't try to push you from my life. I'm not giving into her, Sam. And _that_ is the reason why she's not welcome here anymore. It's because of her, not you."

"You really think this will all work out?"

"Yeah," he smiles. "It's going to be hard and confusing and difficult. But I'd put money on us getting through this. Sam, I can get through anything as long as you're by my side."

He kisses her deeply, wanting to convince her of his love, but she only seems to close herself off even more. He has the sudden need to prove to her how much she means to him. He has a twinge of desperate fear that if he can't reach her now, he might not ever be able to.

"Let's get you unpacked. We have a lot of making up to do." He kisses the side of her neck, unnerved by, but trying to ignore, the clamminess of her skin. The pulse there seems erratic, almost panicked.

"Stay with me, Sam," he pleads, unable to keep the worry from his voice. His hands move to unbutton her shirt and when she stops him, his fears that something is very wrong become very real.

"Jason, this only solves half my problem. There's still the issue with Alexis. Elizabeth also told Nikolas about . . . what happened with Ric."

She winces. She can't even say the words anymore.

"You should have seen the way he looked at me," she says, sitting up and curling herself into a ball. "Like I was some filthy whore he has the misfortune of being related to. And it made me feel like I did when I woke up that next morning. Dirty. Ashamed. Worthless."

"Sam," he sighs, leaning over to kiss her forehead, unable to break through her self-imposed shell. "You made a mistake. I made a mistake. It's over now. Nikolas is wrong about you. And this yet more proof that I can't trust Elizabeth the way I thought I could."

He reaches out for her, but she retreats further into herself.

"Not right now, okay?" She gives him a pleading look, her haunted eyes full of self disgust. "I . . . I need a shower."

She flees from the room and locks herself in the bathroom. Her gut wrenching sobs can be heard all the way through the door and the sound breaks his heart. He doesn't know what to do for her except allow the sounds from his own aching heart to join hers in a symphony of grief.

When will the pain from that night ever end?

To be continued . . .


	5. Chapter 5

IN THE MIDST OF IT ALL

Chapter 5

For two days, she worried him. Three days after that, he knew it was time for reinforcements. She functioned, barely. But she wouldn't let him touch her. She wouldn't meet his eyes when she spoke to him, if she spoke at all. She wouldn't leave the penthouse. She barely even left the bedroom.

And she barely slept. Not peacefully anyway. The dreams she had were more like the nightmares Emily often spoke of after her rape. That is what worried him to action.

"Thanks for coming," he says as he invites Lainey Winters into his home. He takes her coat and lays it gently over the back of the chair at his desk.

"You were pretty vague on the phone. So I'm not really clear on why I'm here."

"I'm here because Justus trusted you. And because Sonny does, too. And because quite frankly, I don't know what else to do."

The quiet desperation in his voice surprises her. For as long as she's known him, she doesn't recall ever seeing his steely facade crack even a little. So she can only assume there's a serious problem to deal with. For an instant, she fears it's Sonny. That's he's off the meds and has relapsed. But his surreptitious glances towards the stairs tells her his problems are rooted much closer to home. Which means one thing.

"This is about Sam," she surmises, wanting to smile at his look of surprise.

"How did you know?"

"I'm a psychiatrist, Jason," she explains with a kind smile, hoping to put him at ease. "Reading people is what I do."

He nods, accepting her answer. He takes a deep breath before finally talking to her. But he has one last thing to get straight before he can truly begin.

"How much of what's discussed here stays here? Even if it involves something you may involve another patient of yours."

"Short of a confession of murder, anything you or Sam say here will remain confidential," she assures him. "I won't even document these sessions if you rather I didn't. That may have to change later on if it's decided Sam needs to be medicated in anyway."

"Medication?" he asks weakly, fear filling his heart that she could be that bad off.

"I said _if_, Jason. Let's just talk to her first, okay?" She gives his hand a pat of assurance that puts him more at ease. But he's still worried, she can tell.

After hearing him relate Sam's story, she realizes that he has every right to be. It's a wonder the woman has broken before now.

"This might get sticky," she sighs when he winds down. "Alexis and I have spoken about what happened with Sam and Ric."

"I figured she might have mentioned it in her sessions with you," Jason nods. "But I can't concern myself with Alexis. Right now, my only concern is breaking Sam from this . . . state. I don't even think it's guilt she's feeling."

"On the contrary. Guilt plays a large part in this. But it's her nightmares concern me," Lainey admits. "From what you describe the extreme guilt she feels over what she did is behind them. Let me see if I have this right. Sam has spent the past few years gathering legitimate reasons to hate Alexis. Then she finds out that the woman she views as responsible for the loss of her baby, her brother, and you, is her mother."

"That's about right. Even though the doctors say that the confrontation with Alexis wasn't responsible for Sam's baby dying. And Alexis didn't choose to take the virus antidote over Sam's brother. And even though Alexis pressured me, in the end it was my choice to push Sam away after her shooting. So Alexis can't technically be blamed for any of that."

"Technicalities don't matter when dealing with someone's psyche, Jason," Lainey explains. "All the losses were real to Sam and devastating to Sam. Responsible or not, they were all connected in her mind with Alexis. All of those events systematically destroyed the pieces of Sam's life she had worked so hard to build. All the roles she comfortably filled were taken away, in her mind by Alexis. Because of Alexis, she was no longer her baby's mother, Danny's sister, or your fiancée. Her only option was to be daughter to a woman who didn't need another daughter the way Sam needed a mother. Therefore, it was up to Sam to try to become the daughter Alexis could want even though she knew that was doomed to failure."

"Very few people can live up to Alexis' expectations and standards," Jason can relate.

"Well, since Alexis is my patient as well, I can't get into what makes her tick or how she actually feels about Sam, but I can agree with you that she had some unrealistic expectations for both Sam and herself. But Sam had pretty unrealistic expectations, too. She expected to be able to make Alexis love her. Aside from you and her brother, she never had anyone to love her. With you and Danny gone, she expected that love to come from Alexis."

"And why is that unrealistic?" Jason asks angrily. "Why is it so unrealistic for Sam to expect love from her mother?"

"Because Sam was the only one willing to yield. And in this case, she yielded so much that she eventually snapped. In her mind, you betrayed her. You made promises to spend forever with her, but then pushed her away. You broke the promise that her very life depended on, Jason. Alexis washed her hands of her, putting her out of her home, her life, and even the lives of Kristina and Molly. Sam had nothing left to live for. Had Ric not been there . . ."

She trails off and it terrifies Jason. He stands up and paces the floor, not wanting to hear what Lainey has to say, not wanting to believe it. But somehow, he knows the truth of her words. That his strong, beautiful Sam would not have survived the night.

"You think she would have committed suicide."

"I think it's very likely she would have tried," Lainey says, trying to soften the blow. "It's even possible that sleeping with Ric was an emotional suicide of sorts. Or maybe it was an act of revenge against you and Alexis that gave her the will to go on. In either case, her mind can no longer handle whatever her reasons were for sleeping with him. She sees her mother's cancer and you fathering Elizabeth's baby as punishment for her actions. More than anything, she wants that night to have not happened. The nightmares are a way of compensating that desire. Tell me more about the dreams."

"She doesn't talk about them," he sighs. "But I hear the way she cries and screams for help. The way she says no. That she doesn't want it. She's shaky and sick when she wakes up from these dreams. And she can't bear to have me touch her."

"Common for victims of rape," she nods. "Even though the sex was consensual on a level, a part of her can't come to terms with it. So in her dreams, it's like she's watching Ric take her even though she doesn't want him to."

"He's essentially raping her every night in her dreams."

He runs a pair of shaky hand over his face and through his hair, letting out an anguished groan he just can't contain. His tear rimmed eyes stare at her, pleading her for an answer. But she can't give him an easy solution.

"How can I help her?" he whispers, trying desperately to hold in a sob.

"You can't," she's sorry to say. "Jason, you can't help her through this. Sam can only help herself. She needs to be able to accept what she did and why she did it. Most importantly, she needs to realize that she has more to offer than being just someone's mother or sister or daughter or lover."

"She's my life, Lainey. I wouldn't have a life without her. Last winter when I was sick, I was ready to give up and die. But she wouldn't let me. I made the decision to live. For her."

"I know you love her," she sympathizes. "Make sure she knows that. It's good that she can count on your love. But she also needs to learn to count on herself, Jason. She needs to learn to value herself the way she values you. If you can do anything for her, find a way to show her that."

- - -

Find a way to show her how valued she is.

Lainey's suggestion makes sense, but Jason can't figure out how to go about it. Does that mean he's never let her know how much he needs her? That he can't live without her? He used to think that if she ever left him, he would go on. But not anymore. Not after this summer when he spent so much of it apart from her. Not after he held her in his arms after she had been shot. That scared him to death.

The way she is now, so fragile and distant . . . that scares him, too. But he's determined to fight for her the same way she fought for his life. He's not giving her up.

"Do you hear that, Sam. I love you. And I'm not letting you slip away from me."

He takes her hand in his, letting it rest in his palm rather than clasping it. After a little while, she wraps her fingers between his and holds on. It's not much, but it's a start. And he's more determined than ever to help her.

"Why don't you know how much you mean to me?" he whispers, rubbing the soft skin on her hand with his thumb. "Come back to me, Sam. I need you."

He drifts off to sleep without seeing the one tear that drips from her eye. She turns in the bed to face him, resting her free hand on his chest. Instinctively, he curls his body protectively around hers and snuggles deeper into sleep. For the first time in nearly a week, she doesn't pull away. With a sigh, she closes her eyes and follows him into sleep.

- - -

She wakes to find herself in a strange bed. Panic starts to set in before she fully takes in her surroundings. The soothing sea air and the gentle rocking of the waves tells her she's on a boat. Then she vaguely remembers Jason saying something about them going on a trip. She even vaguely remembers him leading her from the penthouse and to the car. Everything after that is a blur. She must have fallen asleep. Again. She's spent a lot of time lately in a nightmare that she just can't seem to wake up from.

"You're up."

She looks towards the door to see Jason standing there with a look on his face she can't comprehend. A little fear. A little anticipation. A lot of nerves. She can't help but wonder what has him so flustered.

"Where are we?"

He seems pleased with her curiosity and rewards her question with a bright smile that makes her heart skip a beat.

"Why don't you come with me and I'll show you."

He holds out his hand to her and tries not to show his hurt at her initial withdrawal from him.

"Sam, please," he begs her, so much need on his face that she can't resist. She follows him from the cabin and out to the main deck.

The air is crisp and cold, but refreshing. She's always found peace and freedom on the water. A part of her wishes they could sail away forever and not have to face the problems waiting for them back in Port Charles. But unfortunately, they can't.

"Where are we headed?" she asks him, hoping they can have at least a few hours out on the water.

"Wherever you decide. Unless _I_ can figure out how to drive this thing."

She squints her eyes suspiciously at him.

"What do you mean by that? Jason, who's piloting this boat? Where's the captain?"

"I'm looking at her."

"Me?"

"Sure, why not?" he asks her, a casual shrug to his shoulder. "It's what you do, right?"

"Jason, why are we out here in the middle of the ocean with no one to pilot?"

"We do have someone to pilot. You," he reiterates that fact. "Our lives are in your hands, Sam."

With a wink, he casually sticks his hands in his pockets and strolls back below deck, not wanting her to see how nervous he truly is. But inside, he's trembling. What if this doesn't work? What if he can't snap her out of this fog she's in? It may not be much, but it's a step in letting her prove to herself that she's needed. That she's valued.

She stands there in shock for a few moments, watching the boat flow effortlessly through the water. Pretty soon, it's going to need direction. And she's the only one here with the ability to take care of things. Why would Jason put them in this situation, she wonders to herself, becoming angry at his irresponsibility.

Before she knows it, she finds herself stomping to the check the boat settings. Confident for awhile that it's in autopilot mode, she takes the time to check other things out. Without realizing it, she slips back into the role as pilot. Not of just the boat, but of her own life. How long has it been since she's felt this much in control of her own destiny? Too long, she realizes sadly. Maybe it's time that changes. Maybe it's time she take the wheel for a change before she crashes and burns.

"Looking good, Captain," Jason says from the doorway. "Permission to enter?"

She just laughs, remembering all the lessons she gave him and Michael about being part of the crew of a boat two summers ago.

"Permission granted."

He smiles and enters, making sure to keep his distance. She seems to be doing better, but he doesn't want to set her back in any way.

"So have you figured it out yet? Have you figured out where we're going?" he asks cryptically, the double meaning of his words sinking in to her slowly clearing mind.

He set this up, she realizes. For her. He's letting her take control. Not only of her life, but of theirs. He's letting her know that wherever she decides to go, whatever she decides to do, it's okay with him. It's frightening. But freeing also.

"I'm not sure," she admits. "I'm not sure of much of anything these days."

"Be sure in this," he says, taking her hand in his. "I trust you to get us to wherever we end up."

He kisses her hand before walking out and leaving her alone with her thoughts.

He trusts her. That's not something he gives out lightly. But he's given it freely to her. Even though she's made a mess of things, he trusts her.

So why is it so much harder to trust herself?

To be continued . . .


	6. Chapter 6

IN THE MIDST OF IT ALL

Chapter 6

After a week of sailing the warm Caribbean waters, Jason can understand now the call of the sea on some people.

"It's beautiful out here," he says to her one day they're standing on the deck, looking down into the clear blue water.

She just sighs, running her hands up and down his back as he holds her close. With each passing day, she's returned more and more to her old self. The nightmares don't make her wake up screaming out anymore or make her violently ill like before. But most importantly, she's talking again. And touching him. Smiling. Laughing. He'll never take any of it for granted again.

"I love it out here. And I love being out here with you, Jason. I wish we could stay forever, just sailing around and living our lives for only ourselves. But we can't, can we?"

He wishes it too. More than anything. But she's right. They can't run away from their problems.

"You have family. Friends. A child," she says after a long silence. "And even though they don't want me, I have family, too."

"Do you think you're ready to face them again?" he asks warily.

Throughout the past week, they've talked about things that really matter. They talked about her being shot, the way he pushed her away, her feelings about Alexis, and their respective infidelities. It was hard. A lot of tears shed on both parts. But it was worth it. They both know the other, and themselves, on a level they never knew before. Which is why if she asked him to right now, he'd just sail away with her. He'd leave it all behind just to be with her if that's what she really wanted. But it's not what she wants, or what she needs. She needs to face her mistakes and learn to live with them.

"I have to face them again some time, Jason. But I realize now I don't have to force my way into their lives. If they can't ever forgive me, then I understand that. I hurt them badly. But I can't keep punishing myself for it. That's what I was doing, Jason. And I almost lost myself in the process."

"But you didn't," he tells her. "You're a survivor, Sam. You just needed to be reminded of that."

"Thank you," she whispers, wrapping both her arms around him for a tight hug. "Thank you for making me do this myself. I know it was hard for you to see me the way I was and not know how to fix me."

"I wanted to so badly," he nearly cries. "I saw you slipping away from me, right in front of my eyes. I can't lose you ever again. Promise me you'll stay, Sam. Forever."

She steps back with a gasp, remembering the words from so long ago.

"Jason, that sounds a lot like a proposal. Actually, it sounds exactly like your first proposal to me."

"It is," he nods, taking her hands in his, sheepish look on his face. "And like then, I don't have an engagement ring for you."

They both find that hilarious and laugh for a long time, his smile all she needs to make her heart heal a little more.

"Jason, Jason, Jason. You know I don't need the rings or all the flashy stuff. I just need you. But are you sure you want me? I mean, a week ago, I was practically drooling in my oatmeal."

"First, Sam, you don't eat oatmeal. And second," he stares at her with so much love it nearly stops her heart. "You weren't crazy. You just needed to . . . disconnect for awhile. I'm just so honored you trusted me enough to protect you while you put it all back together."

"I love you so much," she whispers, just before his mouth crashes to hers, pulling her into a kiss that rocks her to her core.

"So, is that a yes? Will you marry me?"

She gives him a big smile and one more small kiss. Those were the words she was waiting to hear.

"Now that you've properly asked me, yes. I will marry you, Jason. Right now, if you want. Make me your wife today," she kisses him. "And take me to bed tonight."

All he can do is groan as her tongue starts to do some pretty inventive things inside his mouth. He tries to slide his hands up the front of her shirt, but she steps away from him, a sly look in her eyes.

"Jason," she gasps in mock shame. "What kind of girl do you think I am?"

"The kind who's going to want the honeymoon _before_ the wedding?" he asks hopefully.

"I don't think so, pal," she laughs playfully. "But, I have a bit of news that should make you feel a little less . . . anxious." She rubs her hips against his in a move that makes his eyes cross and lets her know just how 'anxious' he really is.

"Sam, you're killing me," he growls, his lips latching onto to the spot on her neck that normally acts as her zero to sixty button.

"You're not playing fair," she whimpers as his mouth works its magic. With great regret, she manages to pull out of his grasp. They both stand at least 3 feet apart trying to get their breathing under control.

"Wedding first," she says, holding out her hand to stop him from getting any closer.

"Sam, that could take days," he pouts, his lower lip tempting her to take a bite.

"No, it's only going to take as long as it takes for me to dock this boat. I know this island. I know the justice of the peace here who can marry us today. His office will handle all the paperwork and everything. All we need to do is show up."

Excitement sparkles in his eyes before he realizes what she just said. This can't be what she wants for her wedding.

"What about a dress for you, Sam? Flowers? Rings? Your family? I don't want to deprive you of all that."

"Jason," she sighs, touched that he'd think of those things for her. She reaches up and cups his cheek in her hand. "All I want is you. Maybe later when we get back to Port Charles we can have another ceremony for our family and friends. But for right now, this is exactly what I want. Just you and me."

She seals that promise with a kiss, eagerly awaiting the time she finally becomes Mrs. Jason Morgan.

- - -

She sighs in frustration at the guard that greets her at the door.

"I need to see Jason," Elizabeth says, trying to hide her annoyance when the guard motions for her to stay where she is while slipping inside the penthouse. Several moments later, he emerges, welcoming her inside.

"Miss Webber," Bernie says by way of a greeting. "It's lovely to see you."

"Where's Jason?" She doesn't even try to be polite anymore. She's sick of the run around. She has every right to see Jason and if one of his goons won't tell her where he is soon, she's going to make them sorry.

"I'm sure the guard has told you every day this week you've been here that Jason isn't available. But you seem pretty desperate to reach him. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Yes, get Jason here. Now. I need to see him," she demands. Inside, she's shaking, though. These are some scary people Jason deals with on a daily basis. This Bernie character is supposedly only an accountant, but in a way, he's the scariest of them all.

"That's not possible, Miss Webber. Maybe if you tell me what this is regarding, I'll be able to handle the situation," Bernie offers.

"This is not a situation," she says, putting her hand over her stomach. "This is Jason's child. And if he has no interest in seeing me, then I'm sure a judge would love to hear how he wants to relinquish any rights to his baby."

"You don't want to make idle threats, Miss Webber," he warns her. "As far as I've been instructed, Jason has left you and the baby well provided for. And he gets direct reports from your doctor concerning the child. Now, is there anything else I can do for you?"

"A glass of milk if it isn't too much trouble. I forgot to take my vitamins," she claims, realizing she's not getting her way.

When he goes into the kitchen, she moves on to plan B. She quickly searches the desk, finds what she's looking for, and barely manages to grab it and stick it in her pocket before Bernie returns.

"Your milk," he says, holding the glass out to her.

"Is it calcium enriched soy milk?" she asks, knowing good and well Jason wouldn't be caught dead with anything other than good old fashioned cow's milk in his refrigerator.

"No. Just regular milk. You didn't specify your preference for soy milk," Bernie practically snarls at her.

"Sorry. But thanks anyway. I have to get going. Please let Jason know that I need to see him as soon as possible."

She hastily makes her way to the door, almost rushing to get out. When she leaves, the guard steps inside, leaving the door open just a crack for her to hear. Maybe Bernie will slip and tell him when Jason will be back, so she decides to listen.

"Today is the last day you'll have to worry about Miss Webber. I'm going to be working out of Mr. Corinthos' home for the rest of the week. After I leave, make sure the place is locked up tight and then report to the leader of the team Mr. Morgan has watching Skye Quartermaine and the baby. I'll let you know when to report back to duty here. Mr. Morgan may not be back for another week or two."

A week. That should give her plenty of time to do what needs to be done. She refuses to believe that Jason really wants her out of his life. He's only saying it for Sam's benefit. But Elizabeth has realized that she has to change his mind. And in order to do that, she has to make him see that Sam isn't the woman for him. He when he finally realizes that, he'll be able to look right in front of him and see that the right woman has been there all along.

"I'm getting your daddy back, Little One," she says softly while patting her stomach. "I'm going to make him see that it's us he wants to be with."

Hearing Bernie and the guard on their way out, she slips into the stairwell. One week isn't that long of time. She needs to get to work.

- - -

The wedding was perfect. Just the two of them, the Justice of the Peace and his daughters as witnesses. They had no time to get real rings, but were offered a beautiful shell ring from a local artist that almost made Sam cry.

The wedding night was even more perfect. It was the first time she really let him touch her since her nightmares began. Though far from 'over' that entire ordeal, she was finally totally secure in Jason's love for her. And that would help her get through the rest.

After spending three days in paradise, they reluctantly left their island haven and headed back home.

"I can't believe I'm finally your wife," she sighs, staring wistfully at the shell ring circling her finger.

"Believe it," he says, kissing her as the elevator zips up to their floor. "You're mine now, Sam. Forever. Nothing can tear us apart now."

The elevator arrives to their floor and the doors open, prompting both of them to groan when they have to let each other go. But suddenly, Jason's expression turns hungry. Slightly feral, as he lifts her up into his arms, preparing to carry her over the threshold.

"Time to go home, Mrs. Morgan. Time for me to take my wife to bed," he smiles, gently kissing her before turning her towards the door. She reaches down and turns the knob to open it.

"Here we are," she giggles. "Home sweet . . ."

She stops midsentence. He stops midstride. A naked toddler careens through the living room with his angry mother fast on his heels.

"Cameron, get back here," she yells, stopping when she notices a shocked looking Jason and Sam at the door.

"Elizabeth?"

He can't even come up with the words to ask her what's going on. Fortunately, Sam isn't that tongue tied. She wriggles from Jason's arms and walks over to the squatter, hands on her hips and eyes flashing.

"What are you doing here, Elizabeth?"

"Jason, can we talk?" Elizabeth says, ignoring the woman standing in her face. "I can explain everything. Just let me get Cameron settled first."

Too shocked to even object, he just stands there as she goes off to find her freshly bathed child.

"Jason?"

"I know, it's crazy," he sighs, running his hands through his hair as he plops down onto the couch. She sits down next to him. "I don't even know what to think about this."

"What is she doing here?"

"I don't know," he shrugs helplessly.

"Why is Cameron here? Running around naked? With his toys all over the place?"

He just shrugs again, as clueless as she.

"How did she get in? How long has she been here? What . . ." She looks at the dazed and confused look on his face and realizes her questions aren't helping. "I know, I know. You don't know. But you better find out."

She stands up and walks towards the door, the confusion on his face turning to a look of panic.

"Where are you going?"

"Jason, if I stay here, I'm going to kill her," she confesses.

He gets up and grabs her hand, pulling her back from the door.

"If you leave me here with her, I might be tempted to do the same. Together, Sam. She didn't seem to get the message from me. So we have to make it clear for her somehow. The two of us. Together. We took vows," he tosses in at the last minute.

She lets out a mumbled curse. Not even married a week and already throwing her vows in her face.

"That was a low blow, Husband."

He just smiles and pulls her back over to the couch. They sit just as Elizabeth comes back down the stairs.

"He was exhausted," she says, scooting around the room with a basket for all the toys. "He went right to sleep. I think he really likes it here."

"Yeah. About that," Jason starts, looking to Sam for help. But she has none for him. "So what are you doing here? The last time we spoke . . ."

"Was when _she_ forced you to kick me out," Elizabeth says, shooting an accusing glare at Sam.

"That's not true. Sam didn't even know about my decision until after it had been done. And that's really beside the point. Why are you here?"

"I had no place else to go," she promises. "I swear. Jason, I was desperate. I came here one day to leave you a note and found the key in your desk drawer. It seemed like the perfect solution. I didn't think you'd mind me staying here until things got settled."

"Jason told me that he gave you plenty of money. You could have easily afforded a place to stay. And what about your grandmother's? Or Windemere? Two other places you could have stayed," Sam points out.

"It's complicated. I was trying to find a house, but it's not easy to find a house as a single working mother with small children. I guess you wouldn't know anything about that." She aims the comment at Sam, though her focus remains on Jason. "Anyway, I had planned on letting the lease lapse on my apartment and just staying at my grandmother's until something came up. Unfortunately, she went on vacation and neglected to tell me about the people she contracted to paint while she was gone. Jason, I couldn't stay in that house with all those fumes. It's not good for the baby."

"Okay. So that explains why you're not at your apartment or your grandmother's. What about a hotel?"

"Not with a toddler, Jason. You saw how I could barely contain him in here," she explains.

"What about staying with Nikolas?"

"He and Emily are trying to work things out again. They needed alone time. I couldn't intrude."

"So you intrude on us instead," Sam spits out before she can stop herself. But it's no need. Jason was about to say the same thing himself.

"Sam's right. We just got back together and things are finally calming down for us. We need some alone time, as well. You can't stay here, Elizabeth."

He gets up and walks over to the desk, picking up the phone for a call.

"Has she stolen your soul, Jason?" Elizabeth asks, her voice full of contempt. "Is she so jealous and possessive that she'd make you throw the mother of your child out on the streets?"

"I'm hardly throwing you out on the streets," he says, rolling his eyes at her. He turns his back to make the phone call in private.

"You need to just give it up," Sam tells her. "Stop trying to come between Jason and me."

"You need to stop trying to come between Jason and his child," she spits back. "I do whatever I have to for my kids. I'll go up against you if I have to. If you weren't in the picture, Jason and I wouldn't be having these issues."

"Is that a threat, Elizabeth?"

"Just stay out of my way, Sam, and you won't have to find out."

Elizabeth stomps up the stairs as Jason finishes his phone call.

"I found her a house. They can go there tonight. I have a guard on the way to pick up her and Cam and take them over there." He sits next to her and lifts his hand to her cheek, his thumb rubbing gently on the darkened area under her eyes. "You look tired. Not exactly the welcome home you had in mind, is it?"

"No, I can't say that it is. Most women don't come home from their honeymoon to find out their husband's girlfriend has moved herself into their home. So no, this is definitely not what I expected."

He swallows her anger with a kiss, slowly, but surely, easing her temper with each stroke of his talented tongue. He loses all concept of anything other than Sam and starts to lean her back on the couch. A delicate cough from behind him reminds him that they still have company.

"Cameron is asleep," Elizabeth announces. "Jason, do you think you can carry him down to my car? He's too big for me to be lifting."

"I have a guard on the way," Jason explains. "He's going to take you to a house you can stay in until you find one of your own."

As if on cue, the guard knocks at the door. Sam finds herself feeling immensely relieved that it's almost over. Ten minutes later, it finally is over and Elizabeth is gone.

"Sam, I'm sorry about . . ."

"You know what, it wasn't your fault," Sam stops him. "And I don't want to talk about it. All I want is for my husband to take me upstairs to our bedroom and make love to me for the rest of the night."

He steps up to her and pulls her in for a hot, intense kiss that leaves her knees weak.

"And maybe all day tomorrow, too," she groans, letting herself surrender to his touches. Pretty soon, neither of them are thinking of anything aside from each other. By mutual agreement, they put everything that just happened with Elizabeth out of their heads so they can focus on each other.

Sam can't help but fear, though. Elizabeth wasn't making an idle threat earlier. She seriously intends on getting Sam out of the picture so that she can have Jason for herself. Normally, she wouldn't take that threat seriously. But she has so much to lose now. She looks at her ring that binds her for eternity to the man holding her. Will it be enough? Elizabeth holds within her something far more precious and binding. How does she compete with a baby?

The thoughts again rush out of her head as Jason begins his seduction in earnest. As he carries her up to their bed, she has nothing more on her mind than loving him all night long. She just hopes that the morning doesn't bring any new surprises.

To be continued . . .


	7. Chapter 7

IN THE MIDST OF IT ALL

Chapter 7

He rains gentle kisses on her face, her eyes, her cheeks, her lips.

"I can't get enough of you," he whispers, his words as soft as his kisses. "I can't stop wanting you. I can't stop wanting to love you."

She opens for him as he rolls on top of her, sinking into the warm cradle of her legs.

"Don't stop, Jason," she pleads when he begins to nibble along the column of her neck.

He makes torturously slow love to her, pulling back whenever she seems to get too impatient.

"Jason," she moans.

He smiles. He wants to take his time with her. He doesn't want her to ever feel like he doesn't love her. He doesn't want her to ever feel the way she felt before when she was so distant. That scared him almost more than losing her to death scares him.

"Sam, I love you so much," he tells her, his strokes slow and patient. "Forever."

"Forever," she repeats, leaning up to grip his bottom lip between his teeth. She bites it gently and then runs her tongue over it to sooth. That little move marks the end of her patience and she surprises him by rolling them over and taking control, getting them where they need to be faster than he intended.

She screams out his name before falling to his chest, shuddering at the force of his own release. Laughing at the impossible sensation of still wanting him burning at her.

"I love you too," she pants, gasping desperately for air. "And I wish we could never leave this bed."

"Sam, we've been here for almost a week," he says with a laugh.

"And surprisingly, with no interruptions. That in itself is a miracle."

She leans over to kiss him again, to start all over what they just finished. But the ringing phone brings their ardor back to the simmering level.

"So much for no interruptions. I thought we left that off the hook three days ago," she says with a pout, rolling off of him and onto the bed. "The phone hasn't rang once since then."

"No, we didn't need to leave it off the hook. Because I left instructions that under NO circumstances was I to be disturbed. I told Carly to take her crises elsewhere. I told Bernie to take all business to Sonny and I have guards at the door refusing to let anyone in."

"Wanted me all to yourself?" she asks, her smile sly as she seductively trails a lazy finger up her thigh.

"I think we deserved it," he says, taking her back in his arms before being interrupted again by the phone. Realizing the caller won't give up, he answers, his greeting nearly a growl into the phone.

"This better be worth your life," he says with so much anger that Sam almost feels sorry for the person on the other end. But not too much. By the look on his face, she can tell that the honeymoon is over.

"What is it?" she asks with concern when he hangs the phone back up. "What's going on?"

"I don't even know where to begin," he sighs, falling back onto the bed and holding a pillow over his head. "That was Sonny. From what he had to say . . . it's bad, Sam."

"Bad, how? Did something happen with the boys? Your family? Carly?"

"No, no. Everyone's fine," he assures her, touched that she'd be worried about his family. Well, her family now. "It's Elizabeth. She's gotten lawyers."

"For what? Jason, you gave her money for the baby. You gave her a house. You made it clear that you wanted to be involved in the before birth as well as when the baby is born. What more does she want?"

"Me, I think," he says, a disturbed look on his face. "You, Lucky . . . you both were right about Elizabeth wanting me. Sonny didn't tell me any specifics, but he's consulted with a lawyer he wants me to meet at his house. Everything will be explained then."

"All right. I'm coming with you."

"Good," he nods. "I'm going to need you. I mean, I know all of this has to be tough on you, but . . ."

"Don't go there," she says, putting a finger on his lips. "We get through things together, remember? The good and the bad. I'm not going anywhere, Jason."

"Thanks." He hugs her and gives her one last kiss before letting her go to get dressed. He sits there for a moment longer, worrying. Not knowing, but suspecting, that his life was about to change irrevocably.

- - -

"I'm nervous all of a sudden," she says with a little laugh completely devoid of actual humor.

He takes her hand in his own and gives it a reassuring squeeze before walking into Sonny's.

"There you are," Sonny says, coming out into the foyer to greet them. "Come on in. Your new custody attorney is anxious to get started. But I have to warn you . . ."

"What?" Jason asks, starting to get nervous.

"You trust me, right? Just keep that in mind. I truly believe this is going to be the attorney to handle this for you."

"Sonny, what's going on?"

But that question is answered when they walk into the living room and see the woman sitting on the sofa.

"No way. Never. I don't think so," he shouts, turning an angry glare at his friend. "What is this, Sonny?"

"Wait a minute, I know you," Sam says, taking a closer look. "I mean, not personally. But I recognize you from your magazine spreads. You're Gia Campbell, right?"

"In the flesh," Gia says, giving her most winning smile. She stands and approaches the duo, offering her hand to Sam first, then Jason. She's not at all surprised to see Jason reject the gesture. "Nice to see you haven't changed at all. Nevertheless, it's good seeing you again, Jason."

"Sonny, this isn't going to work," Jason says, totally ignoring Gia.

"I think she's going to work out just fine. Just think back to why you don't like her," Sonny reminds him. "If you recall, she has absolutely no love lost for Elizabeth."

"They hated each other with a passion, if I recall."

Gia can see that Jason is slowly warming to the idea. Then his eyes darken to almost murderous and she has to rethink that.

"But I also recall this blackmailing lowlife giving Elizabeth and Emily both reason to hate her. Don't think I've forgotten about that," Jason growls.

"Like I'm the only person in this room who has pulled a stunt or two in her misguided youth," she says, aiming her stare towards Sam. "I've done my research, as have the attorney's hired by the love of my life for Elizabeth. Personally speaking, Sam, you're my idol. I could only have dreamed of attaining your level of con artistry."

"Thanks . . . I think," Sam says, not sure if she's been insulted or complimented. "You got into some trouble, huh?"

"I was young. I ran away from home and needed money," Gia explains. "I saw a rich girl doing something she shouldn't have and used it to my advantage. I mean, I felt bad after I realized that Emily was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. But at that point in my life, I was only looking out for myself. Then I fell in love. And I lost him. To Emily."

"Wait. Are you talking about Nikolas? You dated my cousin?"

"Dated? No, we were much more than that. We were going to be married, but his family . . . has issues. But I don't recall you being a branch on any family tree of his I've encountered."

"I just recently found out that Alexis is my birth mother," Sam says, making Gia's mouth drops open in shock.

"You're lucky. Alexis is a great woman. I have deep admiration for her. She's the reason why I'm a lawyer to day, actually," Gia enthusiastically tells them. "I was her paralegal for awhile and helped her out a lot when she was pregnant with Kristina."

"Well maybe you can be the daughter she never wanted instead of me. Alexis and I don't exactly get along."

"Really?" Gia asks, leaning into Sam as if they're about to share in some juicy gossip. "I . . ."

"It's nice that the two of you are on the way to becoming best friends or whatever," Jason says, interrupting the girlie chatter. "But I'm still not convinced you should have this job, Gia. I should be able to trust my lawyer to do what I'm paying her to do."

"You can trust me," she says, her smile suddenly disappearing. She exchanges a serious look with Sonny. "I owe Sonny more than I can ever repay."

Jason is curious, but he can see that now is not the time to demand the story. He'll find out the details from Sonny later. But despite his dislike for the woman, knowing she feels indebted to Sonny makes all the difference in the world.

"Okay. You can be my lawyer," Jason agrees. "I think if anything, you'll catch Elizabeth and Nikolas off their guards. I don't think either of them will be expecting to see you."

"Oh believe me," she says with a smile. "The looks on their faces alone will be almost worth it."

"Really? And not the exorbitant fee I'm sure you'll be charging?"

"That too," she laughs. "You know me too well. So, shall we get down to business?"

They spend the better part of the morning going over what's led them to this point, Elizabeth's petition to the court, and what it all means. As far as Jason can tell, it's exactly what he assumed earlier. Elizabeth wants him all to herself and is trying to pull any and all stunts to get him.

"So basically," he tries to simplify, "Elizabeth is giving me two options. One, I can give up all rights to my child. Two, I can give up my life and my wife and go be a family with her and the kids."

"Wife?" Sonny asks, the shock evident on his face.

Jason and Sam look at each other with big smiles and then back to Sonny.

"We got married about two weeks ago," Jason confirms, cringing from the big, crushing hug Sonny gives him and trying to keep his cool at the even bigger kiss he gives Sam.

"Congratulations, you two," Gia smiles. "Though that's something you could have told me when we started all of this three hours ago. It opens up more options for you."

"I don't think Elizabeth will be too happy to find out that Jason and I are married. That in itself is incentive for me to tell her, but how can it be good for Jason?"

"For one thing, it makes it clear to Elizabeth that Jason living with her and the kids is not an option. She's going to have to agree to some sort of custody arrangement. With the two of you being married, I might have a case for Jason getting full custody."

"No," Jason says, shaking his head. "I know how custody cases go. And in order to take a child from its mother, you have to show them to be an unfit mother. And I don't believe that about Elizabeth. She's a good mother and it wouldn't be fair to take the baby from her. That's not what I'm trying to do. I just want to be sure she doesn't take the baby from me."

"That's admirable, but . . ."

"No buts, Gia. My decision on that is firm," Jason insists.

"Even if she's trying to prove Sam to be unfit?"

"Excuse me?" Sam says, not sure what any of this has to do with her. "Why should my fitness come into play here?"

"Elizabeth is claiming that you are a danger to her child, physically as well as morally," Gia explains.

"Excuse me?" Sam asks again, not only from confusion but also from the sheer nerve of Elizabeth to judge her. "Are you saying that because of one, stupid, drunken mistake made out of sheer despair and admittedly extremely poor judgment, I could be the cause of Jason losing all access to his child?"

"Actually, no. Your affair with Mr. Lansing is actually the only thing not listed in this file. Although knowing Elizabeth as I do, I wouldn't put it past her to reveal it anyway during a trial. She has a tendency to overlook her own shortcomings while constantly throwing your mistakes in your face."

"You're right," Jason sighs. "I never thought so because she never did it with me. But that's how she's been with Sam since I told her about that night."

"But that really is the least of your worries. The main thing she has listed is your involvement with the shooting death of Diego Alcazar."

"The charges were dropped against me for that."

"But you shot him. And in front of a child, no less. She can spin that into cause for anything from a restraining order against you to disallowing any visitation of her child to the home you share with Jason."

Sam drops her head and Jason feels helpless in comforting her. He takes her hand just to let her know he's right there with her, but he fears she's withdrawing again. Blaming herself for nothing she has control over.

"Should we go on?" Gia asks, sending a sympathetic look in Sam's direction. "There's more and I think it's only going to get worse."

"I'm fine," Sam says softly in barely a whisper. "Go on. Let's hear how else I'm going to ruin Jason's chances of being a father."

"Sam, don't say that. This is Elizabeth's decision to do this. Don't blame yourself. Gia, what else is there?"

"It actually has to do with you, Sonny," she says, looking at him now. "At your custody trial a few years ago with Carly. Sam was called as a witness and . . ."

"Was completely eviscerated by Alexis," Sam nods in remembrance. "I killed that case, too."

"Alexis brought up prior prostitution charges?" Gia asks.

"Yeah. Charges that weren't at all what she made them out to be, but I couldn't explain. And at the time, Sonny's lawyer had to do damage control and I ended up looking even worse. Can the same thing happen for Jason?"

"I'm afraid so," Gia admits. "My primary goal is to keep this case between Jason and Elizabeth. So if that means you, Sam, will be painted as the bad guy, then it's a direction I may have to take."

"Absolutely not. None of this is Sam's fault. It was a decision made by Elizabeth and myself to get into bed together. _We_ created that life and _we_ need to deal with it. But it's not right for Elizabeth to drudge up Sam's past just to make me hop through her hoops."

"Okay," Gia agrees reluctantly. "But I hope you realize that your conditions tie my hands a great deal. We can't do much more than go to Elizabeth, listen to her requests and give in to as much as you can take from her. If I were to guess, her requests will involve you, her, and the baby acting as a family as much as possible. What you need to do is give the courts no reason to side with her."

"How?" Sam asks hopelessly. "Aside from me leaving Jason and getting out of town, as my cousin already not so subtly suggested I do, how can this be fixed?"

"For one thing, I see that the two of you petitioned to adopt a little girl about two years ago."

"Yes. Her birth mother changed her mind, though," Jason says, giving Sam's hand another comforting squeeze at the painful memory. "She was taken away from us."

"This could be helpful. I see that last time, in order to legalize the initial placement of the child with you, the two of you became certified to be foster parents. If you take on a child or two and have good reports from the social worker's home visits, that could go a long way in your favor."

"Foster kids?" Sam asks, curious. "I never thought of that. How does that work?"

"Gia, you explain to her. Jason, I need to talk to you privately."

Sonny and Jason go out the back doors, making sure they're securely closed behind them. Oddly enough, it's one of the few places they have absolute privacy. With Jason having been gone for two weeks, they have a lot of business to discuss.

After the men are gone, Gia lets out a deep breath of relief.

"I didn't think they'd ever leave. How are you holding up?" she asks Sam. "I know this can't be easy for you."

"What? Knowing that I'm the reason some jealous harpy is about to either get my man or make him resent me for him not having his child in his life? I'm not sure easy that would be for anyone."

Sam covers her hands with her face and lets out a deep breath before apologizing.

"I'm sorry. You are the last person I should be taking this out on," she tells Gia. "You're trying to help Jason and I'm not being very appreciative."

"It's okay. I'll admit that this won't have a simple, clear cut solution. But I don't think you should give up on your marriage because of Elizabeth. She makes it a habit of toying with Jason and then just dropping him when it gets too inconvenient for her. She did it before and I couldn't, for the life of me, figure out why Lucky and Jason put up with her."

"What were they like before?" Sam is curious.

"Really weird, actually," Gia admits. "For awhile, I couldn't tell who was dating who in that strange little circle of theirs. Jason and I never got along, for obvious reasons. He was so protective of Emily that he could never get past the whole blackmailing thing. Plus, when I found out about all of those little secret, clandestine meetings with Elizabeth and Jason, he didn't take too kindly to my threats to expose them. But hey, it got me the title of Face of Deception and a successful modeling career. But I actually felt bad for what they were doing to Lucky. By then, I had been dating Nikolas for awhile and Lucky and I had become . . . well, as close to a friend I could call any of them."

"Not easy on outsiders, huh? Yeah, not much has changed. Nikolas and I haven't known we were related for long, but we are family. And it hurt me more than I ever want to admit the way he took Elizabeth's side over mine. And it wasn't even a matter of my word against hers. He didn't even let me tell my side of the story. He just believed Elizabeth's skewed version of things and is now supporting her blindly."

"You're working against years and years of history, Sam. I can't promise you that Nikolas will ever stop being so protective of Emily, Lucky, and Elizabeth, but I'm pretty sure he can be reasoned with. Family is important to him. So don't give up on him quite yet, either."

Sam just smiles, feeling for the first time since meeting Jason that she isn't all alone in the world.

"You're a good listener, Gia."

"I've never been accused of being that," Gia laughs. "But I'm glad you think so. I like you, Sam. If only because you're trying to stick it to that snarky little wench Elizabeth."

"Thank you," Sam exclaims, patting the other woman on the shoulder in a gesture of camaraderie. "I was beginning to think I was going crazy that I was the only one who saw that. Other than Carly, you're the only other person I know of who can see through that "Little Miss Innocent" act of hers."

"Yeah, well, as long as I've known them both, Carly and Elizabeth have never gotten along. They had one fight where Carly accused Elizabeth of running to Sonny when there was trouble with Lucky. Looks like she's playing the same old game but with a new partner."

"She's desperate this time," Sam figures. "Lucky's the one who left her this time. Because he finally figured out what we all knew - that when all is said and done, it's always going to be Jason for her. So he left because when he asked her point blank if he was just a consolation prize for the man she truly wanted, she couldn't deny it."

"That's a shame," Gia says, shaking her head. "Lucky has been so devoted to her for so many years. I know you said earlier that he had an affair, but technically, Elizabeth has been having an "affair" with Jason since they first met. She's wanted him all this time, even when she was with Lucky. She has no room to judge him. Or you, Sam. You've at least admitted your mistake with Ric. You and Jason have moved past it. She has no right to keep on throwing it in your face when she's done the same thing."

Sam smiles and gives Gia an impulsive hug.

"Where have you been all my life? If I wasn't totally devoted to Jason, I'd kiss you right now," Sam swears.

"If I wasn't so totally devoted to my preference for men, I'd let you," Gia laughs, making Sam laugh too.

The sound echoes out to where the men are. Jason can't help but smile at hearing the amusement in Sam's voice.

"It's been awhile since she's been happy. Especially now with all of this going on," Jason says, leaning his head against the door to hear more of her laughter.

"You love her a lot, don't you," Sonny realizes. "For a long time, I wasn't entirely sure that she wasn't just an obligation. But you love her completely."

"I didn't think it was possible to love someone the way I love Sam," Jason admits. "It drives me crazy sometimes, but it's true. I'd do anything for her."

"Even if it meant letting your child go? Not having anything to do with this baby Elizabeth is carrying? Would you do that for Sam?"

Jason looks uncertain. He shrugs his shoulder and walks over to the balcony, leaning heavily onto the structure.

"I honestly don't know. How could I choose between my child and the woman I love? If I said yes, how could Sam or I live with that decision? I want to say yes. I want to ask you to make Elizabeth "an offer she can't refuse" and get her far away from here so that I'd never see her again. So that I wouldn't have to see my baby growing in her or watch my child grow up calling her 'mama'. But how can I want that? This is my child we're talking about."

Jason looks to Sonny as sudden realization hits.

"And Sam knows that, doesn't she?"

Sonny just nods, giving him a smile of approval.

"She'd never ask me to give up my child. She'd do whatever it takes to make sure I was a part of my child's life. Even give me up of it came down to that."

"The question is. Are you going to let it come down to that, Jason? Are you going let Elizabeth push Sam from your life? Are you going to let that lawyer of hers drag Sam's name through the mud the way I let Alexis during my custody trial?"

"Sam doesn't deserve that," Jason says, shaking his head. "And no matter what, I don't think Elizabeth deserves to have her child taken away. But at this point, are there any other options?"

Sonny just shrugs.

"I can't answer that," he tells his confused friend. "Maybe it's time you asked someone who can answer that question for you. Maybe it's time for a serious talk with Elizabeth."

To be continued . . .


	8. Chapter 8

IN THE MIDST OF IT ALL  
Chapter 8

"Nikolas, I really appreciate what you're doing for me. I think those lawyers are going to work out. I just feel so bad that Sam is making me do this," Elizabeth sighs.

She offers more tea to her guest and sits down next to him, her hand resting comfortably on her stomach.

"I think this will make it easier for everyone. With a court order, Jason will be forced to comply. Not even Sam's influence can force him to go against it."

"What is it about me, Nikolas?" Elizabeth asks him, turning doe like, tear filled eyes at him. "Why can't she just understand that Jason and I have been friends for a long time? We were friends way before she blasted into town and hitched herself to him."

"Behind that tough girl shell, Sam is really insecure," Nikolas tries to explain. "So it's easy to see why she'd be so possessive of Jason's affections. She's not strong like you."

"I don't feel very strong," she practically whimpers. "I'm so scared of doing this on my own."

"You're not alone, Sweetie. You have me and Em and your grandmother and a whole town of people who love you," he says, taking her hand in his and giving her a reassuring smile.

The knock at the door startles them. She isn't expecting anyone.

"Who is it?" She calls out.

"It's Jason."

Elizabeth and Nikolas look at each other in shock. A strange look crosses her face before she covers it. Nikolas isn't sure what to make of it and doesn't get much of a chance to figure it out.

"I don't want him to know you're here," she whispers. "He might be afraid you'll tell Sam he was here and not come back anymore. Could you go wait in the kitchen or something?"

"Sure," Nikolas nods, pulling out his Blackberry. "I need to check on a few business transactions anyway."

She waits until he's safely out of the room before opening the door.

"Jason. Come in," she says politely. "I wasn't expecting you."

"Well, I wasn't expecting to hear from your lawyers, either, Elizabeth," he accuses her. "So I guess that makes us even."

"Nikolas thought they'd be for my best interest," she claims. "He wanted to make sure the kids and I were protected from any informal agreements to custody or some other kind of legal mumbo jumbo he spit out at me. Basically, with you giving me money and this house, Nikolas said it was for the best that we made everything legal."

"That's fine. It's great, in fact. It's actually why I'm here. To see if we can come to some sort of agreement without dragging this matter into court."

"Court would be a waste of time and money," she agrees before turning a hopeful gaze at him. "What do you have in mind?"

"It's up to you, Elizabeth. I'll do whatever you want to keep this from going any further than this. I'll do whatever you want to keep this from hurting Sam the way you seem bound and determined to do."

"This isn't about Sam," she tries to explain. "This is about you and me and our child, Jason. This is about how before Sam's delicate little feelings got hurt, we were friends. We were so close this summer, Jason. I don't understand why you're pushing me away now."

"We were both hurting this summer. You were having trouble with Lucky. I was missing Sam. We had a lot of time to commiserate with each other. But Sam and I are back together now. And I'm sorry things didn't work out for you and Lucky, and I'm sorry if this hurts you, but things can't be like they were this summer."

"So you're saying we can't be friends."

"No. That's not what I'm saying. What I'm saying is that Sam is my everything. She means the world to me. My relationship with Sam is the most important thing in my life. She's the other half to my soul. We come as a package, Sam and I. You can't go around disrespecting her and our relationship and expect us to still be able to be friends."

"So you're saying we can't be friends," she repeats. "Because I cannot respect a woman who kills kids or sleeps with her mother's husband in her mother's home. Jason, she betrayed you. How can you toss aside our long time friendship and our baby for her?"

"What happened with Sam and Ric is between Sam, Ric, and Alexis. Sam and I have gotten past it. You have no right to continue to judge her for it," he snaps at her. "Besides, Sam didn't betray me. I'm the one who betrayed her. I'm the one who barely let her wake up from a coma before dumping her, right there in her hospital bed. I'm the one who for months told her we couldn't be together, that I couldn't love her, that she should move on. I'm the one who told her that I couldn't allow anyone in my life, yet I slept with you. I'm the one who betrayed Sam. I told Sam it was over between us. For months she tried to change my mind, but I wouldn't budge. And when she finally accepted that decision, it destroyed her. And she moved on. Not in a way that either of us expected, but she moved on. I can't fault her for that. And you can't either. Anymore than you fault yourself for sleeping with me."

"That was different. When I saw Lucky with Maxie that final time, I considered my marriage over."

"As opposed to me telling Sam for three months that _our_ relationship was over? How is it different?"

She just pouts and lets out a sigh, unwilling to concede anything.

"Listen, I'm not trying to make you Sam's best friend or anything. I just need you to stop blaming her for stuff that's not her fault. Sam isn't keeping you from me. You are, Elizabeth. You are doing your best to make Sam into the enemy, but she isn't. You're doing your best to put her in the middle of this, but she isn't. Sam and I are together. You and I aren't. That doesn't mean we can't co-parent effectively. But you have to learn to accept that Sam is a part of my life. I want to be with her. And I won't allow you to use your hate for her as an excuse to keep my child from me."

"It just isn't fair," Elizabeth cries. "I'm the one having your baby, Jason. Why do I have to be the one to make all the concessions? Why does my baby have to go without a full time father because of her?"

"Don't do this, Elizabeth."

"Do what? Make you feel guilty for deserting us? Because that's what you're doing! You're letting that woman be more important than being a father."

"Why can't I be a father to this child?" Jason asks, his frustration at her getting harder and harder to mask. "Why are you making me choose between being with the woman I love and being a part of my child's life?"

"Because that's just the way it is," she says, suddenly calm and resolved in her course of actions. "I will raise this baby alone, without any guilt money from you. Or, you can come here and live with us and we'll raise him or her together. Your choice. Sam or this baby."

"I can't believe you," he whispers, his voice full of agony. "I can't believe you'd do something like this."

"You're the one doing this, Jason. You're the one who used me when things were going bad between you and Sam, got me pregnant, and now you're trying to get out of it. What happened to the marriage proposal you gave me a few months ago? You told me you'd marry me then. What's changed? What if I'm ready to accept now?"

"I can't stay here anymore," he says, shaking his head. "I guess I'll have my lawyer contact yours."

He pushes past her to the door, still trying to keep his fury in check. He's never had the urge to physically hurt a woman before, aside from Faith Roscoe. But he has the feeling if he spent one 

more second with Elizabeth, he wouldn't be able to restrain his murderous impulses. So much for compromising. Looks like the matter will be going to court.

After Jason slams out of the house, Elizabeth kicks against it angrily, screeching in pain at the pain that shoots through her toe.

"Elizabeth!" Nikolas calls out to her, rushing over to where she's hopping on one foot. "Are you all right."

"Just letting my temper get away from me," she says, her mood turning desperate and weepy. "I can't believe I let him get to me."

"Did he hurt you?"

"Not physically. But he hurt my heart, Nikolas. He refuses to see Sam for the master manipulator that she is. And now, she's gotten her way. She made him choose between her and this baby. And he chose her." She buries her face in his chest and starts sobbing almost violently.

"I'm sure you must have misunderstood," Nikolas tries to reason with her, rubbing his hand on her back to comfort her. "I've never been a big fan of Jason's, but I don't see him turning his back on his own child."

"He wouldn't. I can't believe he'd want this either. Nikolas, he's torn up on the inside and it's all because of Sam. Do you know she's even got him blaming himself for "making her" sleep with Ric? How sick is that?"

"Some people just can't accept responsibility for their own actions," he says, letting out a sigh.

He gives her a kiss on the cheek and heads towards the door.

"I'm sorry to leave you like this, but I have to go."

"No, it's okay. Really. I think I need some time to myself right now," she says, a brave smile on her face to show him that she'll somehow make it.

"Make sure you get some rest, okay? Take care of yourself," he advises her before walking out the door. He waits until he hears the lock snick in place before leaving. After the day he's just had, there's only one place he can even think of going.

- - -

Jason drops down onto the couch, exhaustion leaking out of every pore.

"I can't believe you talked me into doing this," he complains, massaging a sore muscle in his arm. "That's what movers are for."

"Well, the movers had already left before Gia decided for sure how she wanted her bedroom arranged. Fortunately, you, Max, and Milo were here to help."

"Yeah, it's just my luck," he says sarcastically, making her laugh. But he can't really complain too much. After his visit with Elizabeth, he felt the overwhelming urge to hurt something. Physical labor was just the thing to work out his frustrations. He has a feeling, though, that Gia moving in across the hall will be an even bigger source of frustration for him.

"My poor baby," she smiles. "I guess I'll just have to kiss everything that still hurts."

She presses a kiss to his eyes, then his cheeks, nose and chin. It makes him smile.

"Baby, everything on my body is aching. I think you're going to be doing a lot of kissing," he teases her.

"I guess I better get started," she says. She crawls into his lap and straddles him, her knees falling to either side of his hips. She leans over to kiss him just as the knock on the door interrupts him.

"That better not be our new neighbor," Jason groans. "I'd hate to have to kill my own lawyer."

"Be nice," Sam warns him, pressing a quick kiss to his lips before jumping off his lap to answer the door.

She isn't expecting, nor is she very welcoming to, the person standing there.

"Hi, Sam. Can I come in?"

"Nikolas," she says, giving him a glare she hopes he interprets as hateful. "Here to accuse me again of being mean to poor, little Elizabeth?"

"I deserved that," he nods. "But I'm actually here to apologize. Can I come in?"

She lifts her eyebrows up in surprise, but lets him inside. She goes to sit on the sofa next to Jason while Nikolas takes the wing chair.

"Well?" Sam shrugs. "The apology?"

"Of course. I'm sorry for sticking my nose into this situation with Elizabeth and Jason where it didn't belong. I accused you of some things that were misrepresented to me and I apologize."

"Where's this coming from?" Jason asks suspiciously.

"I realized something today," he says, looking up at Jason. "Elizabeth is in love with you."

Sam and Jason look at each other, not sure where he's going with this. But they decide to hear him out.

"It's not something I've encouraged, if that's what you're implying," Jason jumps in, in defense of himself. "I don't know what she's told you, but I've tried to be as clear as possible that I'm in love with Sam and that I want to spend my life with Sam. I'm not trying to deny my duties to that baby Elizabeth is carrying, but . . ."

"I understand. Completely, Jason. I do. I was there earlier when you came by to see her and try to work out a compromise. I heard what you told her. I heard how she reacted," he sighs and stands up, more comfortable pacing the floor. "Most importantly, I heard how she interpreted what you said to her. After you left, she immediately blamed Sam for making you choose between her and the baby. And that's clearly not what happened. I even told her she had misunderstood you, but it didn't matter. Elizabeth is convinced that you would be with her if not for Sam."

"Well, thank you for that apology," Sam says. "I know we have other stuff between us, but right that doesn't matter right now. Right now, I'm concerned with Jason and if Elizabeth actually intends on keeping the baby from him."

"Right now, Sam, I'm more worried about you," Jason tells her, his face full of concern. "Elizabeth desperately wants me to play daddy in this little family scenario she's created. And from what Nikolas is saying, she's convinced that it would happen if you were out of the way."

"I don't think she'd hurt Sam," Nikolas objects. "That's not what I was saying."

"Maybe not physically. But Sam is more easily hurt than you realize." Jason lifts a hand to her cheek and gently strokes the skin on her face. "Elizabeth has a way of twisting things around to make herself the victim in all of this. She made us all believe that Lucky divorced her because she was having my baby, but that's not at all what happened."

"It's not?"

"No, Nikolas," Sam says, sorry to break the news to him. "I was there when she admitted to Lucky that she was in love with Jason. Lucky decided he didn't want to be a poor substitute for Jason in her heart."

"I had no idea," Nikolas gasps. "She let me think he had just abandoned her."

"Just like she let you think I was making Jason push her away."

"I'm doing what it takes to keep the peace. It's why I went over there today," Jason explains. "I wanted to try to come up with a compromise that she could live with. Something so we could avoid court. But she wasn't willing to compromise."

"I don't get it," Nikolas shrugs. "She seems determined to . . ."

"You know, you really should fire those mover people."

The interruption is a welcome disturbance, even if it's just Gia talking a mile a minute while complaining about the imagined ineptitude of the moving company.

"I'm just saying, what's the point in being bonded if they have no intention of . . ."

"I see you're still lighting things up, Sparky."

Gia gasps and turns toward a voice she hasn't heard in years.

"Nikolas?"

"In the flesh." He holds his arms out and Gia happily runs into them, hugging him for all he's worth.

"Okay, I gotta ask. Sparky?" Sam wonders, a warm smile on her face at seeing the genuine smile on both Nikolas and Gia's faces.

"I actually don't know how he came up with it," Gia explains. "But he called me Sparky all the time."

"Because you always went around starting fires that I had constantly keep putting out."

"Yeah, mostly with your good friend Elizabeth, which actually is why I'm here," she says, giving a mischievous little grin. "I'm representing Jason in this little case Little Miss Lizzie has contrived."

"Family Law is your specialty?" Nikolas is curious.

"You digging for info to take back to the enemy?" She challenges.

He just laughs.

"You haven't changed at all."

"Don't trip. You know you missed me," she teases.

"Yeah. I did," he smiles, before looking down at his watch. "But I can't really stay and chat. I have some things to take care of. Jason, Sam. Thanks for your time. Gia, I hope to see you around. We can catch up."

Sam walks him to the door, turning back to give Gia a curious look after he leaves.

"You make Nikolas almost . . . normal," Sam tells her in amazement. "You knock him right off that princely pedestal of his."

"We had an interesting relationship," is all Gia will tell them. "But I have to wonder what he was doing here? Was it related to the custody case?"

"In a way," Jason nods. "I went to see Elizabeth today."

"You what? Jason, what did you hire me for if you're going to see her behind my back? What happened?"

"It was good in a way," he assures her. "Nikolas now sees the truth to what's going on. He now knows that Elizabeth has done a lot of . . . exaggerating in her accusations. He heard with his own ears how she keeps twisting things up. Today she even flat out told me that I had to choose between being with Sam and being a part of my child's life. I could either marry her, move in, and be a part of her family or I couldn't see the baby."

"That couldn't have gone over well with you," Gia guesses, getting nervous even thinking how he reacted to that ultimatum. "You didn't, you know, . . . 'do' anything to her, did you?"

"You are unbelievable," Jason says, rolling his eyes and turning away from her. "You think I'd hurt a pregnant woman? Especially one carrying my baby?"

"How should I know? But based on the look you have now on your face, I'd say it was entirely possible. And who knows what Elizabeth and her active imagination will say about the encounter."

"You think she'd lie and say that he hurt her?" Sam asks, suddenly very worried.

"I can't say. I think Jason knows her more than any of us," Gia points out.

"I don't know," he shrugs. "Normally, I'd say no. But then again, I didn't think Elizabeth would do anything she's doing now. After that conversation I had with her today, I don't think it would be a stretch to accuse me of something and try to blackmail me to get what she wants."

"So what do we do?" Sam wants to know.

"Nothing for now. I mean it," Gia warns them. "Stay away from her if you can help it. No more meetings alone with her. You two are lucky that Nikolas was there today and realized how she's manipulating this whole situation. That meeting could have easily gone very badly for you, Jason."

"I understand," he agrees. "I won't do anything like that again."

"Good," she nods. "Sam, no confrontations with her, either. She seems to have it out for you and can push your buttons rather easily."

"Fine, okay," Sam agrees, too.

Gia gives them one more look of warning before going back across the hall to her penthouse.

"I know she means best for us, but I have a hard time putting up with her. I always have," Jason admits. "But you like her, don't you?"

"I do. She seems fun."

"Fun . . . trouble . . . same difference with her."

"Oh, come on, Jason," Sam laughs. "I'm sure it's not that bad."

She pushes him onto the couch again and climbs on him to remind him of what they were doing before their company interrupted them.

"Besides, if it's fun you're looking for, then I'm definitely your girl."

She pulls his bottom lip between her teeth and nibbles it a little, soothing the stinging bites with her warm, moist tongue.

"What if I want trouble?" he asks, practically gasping from the tingling sensations he's feeling from her body pressed up against his.

"I think I can handle trouble, too. In fact, I . . ."

He doesn't give her a chance to explain any further, covering her mouth with his own.

"I've been known to start a little trouble myself," he growls, standing up and throwing her over his shoulder, dragging her to the bedroom to show her just what kind of trouble he means.

To be continued . . .


	9. Chapter 9

IN THE MIDST OF IT ALL

Chapter 9

Jason paces around the living room, the telephone handset wedged between his ear and shoulder. With all that's been going on lately, the work has been piling up more than he cares to admit. Sam asked him years ago why he lets Sonny dump all the grunt work onto him. It's times like this that he wonders that very same thing himself.

"Get back to me with the numbers from that casino. Something hasn't been right for a few months now," he orders before hanging up. He's about to make another call when he hears a muffled sound the scares him.

"Sam?" he asks aloud, going to the door and looking outside. Seeing the empty hall, he turns to go back inside when he hears a frightened scream from across the hall.

He runs over to Gia's and knocks on the door, calling her name a few times without answer. Reaching for his gun, he tries the knob to find it unlocked and pushes his way inside, looking for trouble. Not finding any, he puts his gun away and walks over to the couch where Gia is sleeping restlessly, crying out every few seconds.

"Gia," he whispers softly, trying to shake her awake. "Gia, calm down. It's Jason."

She lets out another scream before waking, trembling in fear.

"Don't touch me," she yells, striking out in terror.

"Gia, it's okay. It's Jason."

"Jason?" she whimpers, her confusion evident. "What . . . "

She opens her eyes and realizes where she is. She realizes she's safe and can't be hurt. She lets out a sigh of relief before pulling herself together.

"You okay?" he asks her.

"Fine," she says, standing up and walking over to the bar for a glass of water. "Bad dream."

"Really bad. I heard your scream all the way across the hall."

"Sorry I disturbed you. I'm okay. Really. But thank you for checking."

She wants him to leave. But he doesn't. So she figures they may as well work.

"I, uh . . . I've done some more work on your case against Elizabeth. Her lawyers aren't quite as eager to get into court as they were two weeks ago."

"You think Nikolas has talked to them?"

"Probably. I think he had to let them know what was really going with her and how that affects the situation. The bottom line is that Elizabeth doesn't really have a case for keeping your child from you unless she plans on proving to the courts the type of work you do."

"I'm a coffee importer," he says with a shrug.

"And so long as that's all it can ever be proven you are, then you should be fine. It would be nice to get started with the foster parenting, though. The good reports from the social workers will go far in proving that Sam is safe for any child to be around."

"She's a great mother," Jason says, remembering what it was like when she was pregnant and when they had Hope. "She has so much love to give a child."

"Why don't you two have any?"

"Hasn't worked out for us yet," he shrugs. "This foster thing will be good, I think. Something short term to get her confidence back up and everything."

"Where is Sam? We can go down the Child Protective Services and you two could have a kid by tonight."

"She has an appointment with Dr. Winters today, so she's not home. I think I'd actually like to surprise her. Probably a little boy around Kristina's age so they'd both have someone to play with. Kristina hasn't been talking much and someone her age might do her some good."

Gia can't hide her smile. Jason Morgan is a lot more than she ever thought he was.

"You're a pretty good guy, you know that?"

"Really? Not something I'm usually accused of," he says, smiling with her.

"I think Kristina would love a playmate," Gia smiles. "But why not a little girl? They could play tea parties and stuff."

"No." Jason shakes his head, his conviction strong. "And no babies. It would be . . . just, no. A little boy. About five years old or so would be best."

Gia wonders what that's all about, but doesn't press him on the matter. She doesn't understand it. Little girls are generally easier than little boys. And babies would most likely have less adjusting issues than an older child. But she assumes he has his reasons and doesn't question him on it. She just grabs her coat and walks with him out the door.

- - -

It was hard. Harder than she thought it would be. For the few weeks she's been seeing Lainey, she never quite opened up fully to the woman. But in today's session, it all came pouring out. So much stuff she had been shoving aside and avoiding is fresh on the surface again. It's going to take some time, but she knows she'll be able to handle it all much better eventually. As for right now . . . well, she's not so sure. The jury is still out on that one.

"I know you must see this type of reaction all the time, but I'm still embarrassed," Sam says with a sniffle, accepting a tissue from Lainey. "I'm so sick of crying. It seems like all I do is cry."

"You have plenty to cry about," Lainey says, trying to comfort her. "What you've got to realize is that your pain is important. You have just as much right to your feelings as everyone else. But you tend to push them aside to take care of everyone else. You need to put Sam first, for a change. Do what is going to make Sam happy for once without thought to how it will affect anyone else."

"Not a good idea. That's how this all started, with me having sex with that slime ball of a man my mother calls husband."

"But did you do that to make Sam happy or to punish Sam for not being good enough for Alexis and Jason?"

She gives Lainey an astonished look that quickly turns to confusion. That too is quickly masked and buried. She's not quite ready to deal with what Lainey is suggesting.

"Well, right now, _Sam_ is getting pretty freaked out by all this third person reference to herself," she tries to joke.

"That's okay. Our time is almost up anyway," Lainey says, looking at the clock on the wall. "We can get more into that topic next time."

"I'm sure Sam's going to love that," Sam mutters sarcastically, hopefully out of the doctor's earshot. But when she looks up at Lainey, she sees she wasn't successful.

"Sam, I know this is scary for you, opening up like this and trusting someone with what's going on inside of you."

"Jason is really the only person I've ever trusted. And even still, there are things I don't tell him because I don't want him to feel as if he has to fix all my problems. I don't want him to have to worry about me. He has to worry about so much as it is."

"You mean with the situation with Elizabeth and the baby?"

Sam just nods, afraid she'll tear up again if she says anything at that moment.

"How are you dealing?"

"I don't think I am," Sam sighs as a tear breaks free. "It's so hard, seeing her pregnant with his baby. And for feeling responsible for . . ."

She stops herself and takes a breath, silently repeating what Lainey has been trying so hard to get her to believe.

"It's not my fault Jason slept with Elizabeth. It's not my fault."

"That's right, Sam. Let Jason take the responsibility for his own actions," Lainey reminds her.

"He does take responsibility. That isn't the problem. Elizabeth is the problem. And before you think this is just me being jealous of her or resenting her because of her baby, I'll admit that all of that is true. I am jealous. I want Jason's baby growing inside of me, not her. But it's more than that. She . . . she's starting to scare me, Lainey. She wants Jason all for herself and will use any trick she can to get him. And I'm afraid her tricks are starting to work. I'm not sure how much more of her I can take."

"Are you physically afraid for your life?" Lainey asks, concern in her voice.

"Not so much, no. Because that would leave evidence. No, Elizabeth is more into playing the innocent victim to my big, bad wolf. Everything that happens between us is her word against mine. And people tend to believe her word. Even Jason did at first. She's never given anyone reason not to believe her. She mixes in just enough truth to convince everyone that she truly believes what she's saying, so that even if they don't believe her, they'll feel sorry for her."

"You know what they say. There are three sides to every story: your side, the other side, and the truth that lies somewhere in the middle."

"Not where Elizabeth's concerned," Sam says, a subtle warning in her voice. "Hers is the only truth that matters. So just keep your eyes open, okay?"

She gets up, leaving Lainey sitting there in a stunned silence.

A few minutes later, Lainey is up and out the door to find a cup of coffee. She could use the caffeine.

"Lainey," she hears her name called from the end of the corridor.

How coincidental that it's Elizabeth. Or is it, she has to wonder.

"Lainey, wait up. You going to the cafeteria?"

"Just for some coffee," Lainey explains. "How about you? What are you doing up on the psych floor? I didn't see you on this week's schedule."

"No, I was just passing by. Epiphany needed me to drop off a chart near here. I didn't mind, though. I'm always amazed at who and what I see around here. Like just now. Was that Sam I saw leaving?"

Lainey narrows her eyes at her before answering.

"I can't really say who you saw, Elizabeth. Often times our perceptions are influenced by our expectations."

"Well, if it was her I saw up here, then I can't say I blame her for needing someone to talk to. It must be tough for her to deal with what's happening with Jason and me. She can't seem to let him go, even though she knows he wants to be a part of his child's life."

Not sure where she's going with this, Lainey remains noncommittal with her answers.

"I imagine anyone in this situation would have trouble adjusting."

"True," Elizabeth sighs, laying a hand on her stomach. "It's just that Jason and I have been friends for so long, much longer than he's even known her. She doesn't understand the bond we share. She thinks they bonded before when she was pregnant, but that wasn't Jason's baby. This is. I just wish someone could make her understand that she can't break our bond. Maybe you can, if it comes up in your sessions with her."

"I don't make it a habit to get in the middle of love triangles, Elizabeth. If you want Sam to know something, then I suggest you tell her yourself. Now if you'll excuse me, I just realized my next appointment will be here soon. I need to get back."

"Of course," Elizabeth says, politely excusing her.

Lainey walks back to her office, disturbed at the prior conversation, not sure what to think of either Sam or Elizabeth. For now, however, she just decides to leave it alone. But like Sam suggested, she's going to keep her eyes open, focused on both of them.

- - -

Elizabeth sneaks back to her station, hoping the escape the ever watchful eye of Epiphany.

"Where you been?"

Elizabeth cringes, hoping her little side trip had gone unnoticed.

"For a walk to stretch my legs. I get cramps in them if I'm too sedentary for too long."

"Um hmm. Right," Epiphany says, unconvinced. "Listen, whatever you do, be careful. Deeds have a way of catching up with people, good or bad. Remember that."

"I wasn't doing anything. Honest," Elizabeth swears. "I actually ran into Lainey Winters and chatted for a bit."

"Um hmm." Epiphany gives her one more warning glare before handing her a file. "This needs to get to OB/GYN. Guess you'll have another chance to stretch your legs."

Elizabeth takes it to the right department, stopping as she nears Dr. Lee's office and hears a familiar voice inside. She peaks around the corner to verify that it really is Sam.

"Thank you for taking a few minutes to speak with me today, Dr. Lee. I know me dropping in like this is unexpected. I won't keep you long," Sam says.

"Not a problem. I have a few minutes. What can I do for you?"

"Well, Jason and I will be wanting to start a family of our own soon," she explains. "I was just wondering what I could do, short of taking fertility drugs, to ensure my body is ready."

"What method of birth control are you currently using?" Dr. Lee asks, not having Sam's file handy to check for herself.

"Condoms. Along with the shot every four weeks. Dr. Meadows started me on it after my miscarriage since getting pregnant at that time would have been so dangerous for me."

"It is highly effective. But not full proof. So it's good you're backing it up with the condoms," Dr. Lee explains. "Because getting pregnant while on that shot would introduce an extremely high risk for birth defects. Since you're thinking of actively getting pregnant, I'd suggest you stop with the shot at least a month before."

"That's helpful," Sam nods. "So I'll let you know at my next appointment if I want another shot or not."

"Okay. I'll see you then," Dr. Lee says, just as her pager goes off. She looks down at it before apologizing to Sam. "I'm sorry, but I need to take this."

"No, go," Sam insists. "I'm just so grateful you were able to spare me these few minutes. I'll get out of your way."

Elizabeth panics for a second, fearing she's about to get caught. But she manages to duck out of the way in time before Sam walks out of the office. She stays out of sight until Dr. Lee emerges from the office as well.

With a concerned scowl, Elizabeth thinks over what she just heard. She realizes that she can't let Sam trap Jason with a baby. She can imagine that right now, the other woman would be desperate to get pregnant. All Elizabeth has to do is figure out a way to keep that from happening.

"Carol," she says to the Dr. Lee's secretary. "Could you do me a favor and look up my next check up. I thought it was today, but could be mistaken."

"Sure thing, Elizabeth," the secretary says with a smile.

Elizabeth casually leans over the desk to check out the computer screen as the woman scrolls through all the days, smiling to herself when she sees what she's really looking for.

"Right day, wrong week," the woman laughs. "You're appointment is _next_ week this time."

"Silly me," Elizabeth says, laughing along with her. "Thanks again."

She walks off, the smile still on her face. Now that she knows when Sam's next appointment is, she only has to figure out what she's going to do next. Whatever it takes, she has to keep Sam from getting pregnant. Or else she could lose Jason for good.

To be continued . . .


	10. Chapter 10

IN THE MIDST OF IT ALL

Chapter 10

For a day that started out so badly, Sam can't help but smile as she enters the penthouse. Talking with Dr. Lee about having a baby was just a formality. She has a feeling that the process has already started, quite by accident, of course. It's really too soon to tell, but her intuition is telling her that she's going to be a mother sooner, rather than later.

She goes inside, her mouth open to call for Jason when she sees him sitting on the couch, staring uncomfortably at something staring just as curiously back at him.

"You're home," he says, breaking eye contact with their guest. "I got someone I want you to meet."

Jason takes Sam's hand and leads her to the couch where the very little person is sitting.

"Sam, this is Tessa. Tessa, this is my wife, Sam. She's going to help me take care of you."

"Hi, Tessa," Sam smiles a confused smile as she stares at the small child. She gives Jason a look that lets him know in no uncertain terms that he has some explaining to do. Luckily, he gets the hint. They stand and walk over to the desk so the child cannot hear them.

"You want to know what she's doing here," he starts off, heading off the obvious question she'll have.

"I must admit, I am a little curious," she says sarcastically, but then lowers her voice even more when the girl looks up at her strangely. "Jason, where did you get her?"

"She's the foster kid Gia suggested we get. I thought while we were at it, we could get someone who might help Kristina open up some. They're about the same age and everything. They should get along."

Sam's heart melts at his thoughtfulness. Then it melts even more as she takes another look at the kid and sees herself at that age. It shakes her to her core.

"Poor thing. So young and so alone," Sam sighs. She's not sure if it's all the thoughts of babies or just the look of pure sadness and hopelessness in the little girl's eyes that gets to her. But it does. "I'm glad she's here with us. And not just for the custody case. But because she needs us."

"Yeah, I think she does," he nods. "I wasn't looking to get a girl. It just seemed like it would have been too hard for us. You know, reminders of Lila and Hope. But when I saw her, it was like . . . I don't know. I just felt like she was the one I was supposed to get. She reminded me of you in a way."

Sam just smiles at how his words echoed her thoughts. The girl looks up and gives Sam a shy smile and at that moment, Sam knows the girl has just stolen her heart. She chances a glance at Jason and sees that the same is true of him.

"You are such a sucker for cute little girls with big brown eyes, aren't you?" Sam laughs, teasing him.

"She is pretty cute, isn't she?" he agrees.

"She's adorable," she says with a sigh, wrapping her arms around his waist. "And for now, she's ours. Let's make sure she has the time of her life, okay? Let's not worry about her going back or how she'll help us or anything. Let's just let her be a little girl for once in her life. I don't think she's ever had that."

Sam knows what it's like. She never really had much of a childhood, either. She realizes now that all her dreams of becoming a mother have so much to do with being able to give a child what she never had. She looks up at Jason to see him smiling down on her.

"You're the best person I know, Samantha McCall-Morgan."

"Just _Morgan_ is fine. I don't need that hyphenated crap. I want people to know I belong to you," she says, pulling him down for a quick kiss in deference of their audience.

He looks over at Tessa and blushes at her curious gaze. Sam just laughs before walking over to the little girl.

"So, Miss Tessa. Welcome to our home. Did Jason take you up and show you your room yet?"

"I have a room?" she asks in a quiet voice. But the awe filled look in her eyes shows her true excitement. "I've never had my own room before."

"Well, you have one here," Jason says. "Right now it's pink, but we'll let you change it to however you want it to look."

"I like pink," she practically whispers.

"What?" Sam plays as if she can't hear her. "You're going to have to speak up. Did you say you like to be tickled pink?"

She wiggles her fingers on Tessa's stomach and the girl breaks out in giggles.

"No," Tessa squeals, the pure joy in her voice making them all happy. "I said I like pink."

"You think Jason stinks?"

"No, silly," the girl says, still cracking up. "I . . . like . . . pink."

"Oh. You like pink. Then you're going to love the room upstairs. Why don't you go on up and see if you can find it all by yourself."

Despite the laughing good time they just had, Tessa suddenly turns reticent and unsure of herself. She looks over at Jason with something close to fear in her eyes.

"It's okay," he assures her. "You can go anywhere in this house. It's yours for while you're here, okay?"

"What if I break something? Will you . . . send me back?"

Her question saddens them and it makes them wonder what other kinds of homes she had been in. Jason picks her up and sits her on his lap.

"Tessa, things can be replaced. So don't worry if you have accidents around here. We want you to enjoy yourself. It's going to take a while for you to get used to things around here, but you should know that you aren't the only little kid who comes here."

"I'm not?"

"No. Sam has a little sister about your age. I'm sure she'd love to meet you. Her name is Kristina. And I have two nephews who'd be crazy about playing with you. Their names are Michael and Morgan."

"Cool!" Tessa says with a smile, starting to feel comfortable again.

"Why don't you go on up now," Sam suggests, smiling as the little girl scampers up the stairs as if she belongs there.

"Little kids should never be that afraid of being little kids," Jason sighs, staring up the stairs behind her.

"Not all kids have someone like you looking out for them. She's lucky, Jason. I'm lucky. And any kids we have will be lucky, too. I guess I can understand why Elizabeth wants you so badly."

"But she can't have me," Jason assures her. "Sam, my heart belongs to you. You're the one I want to start a family with. And nothing Elizabeth can do will change that."

"Even if she threatens to take away your child?"

"I'm not going to give into her outrageous demands, if that's what you're asking. Besides, I doubt a court would deny me access to my child, no matter what Elizabeth says or does. Gia doesn't think so, either. But I don't think it'll get that far. Elizabeth is going to cross one line too many with me one day. And on that day, she'll no longer be holding the cards. I will. She'll be sorry she ever messed with me."

- - -

Gia fiddles nervously with her necklace while she waits for her name to be called. She knows that this visit is strictly business. She's here to talk to Dr. Winters about being an expert witness on Sam's behalf if Jason and Elizabeth's case made it that far in court. But she's been in too many doctor's offices in the past few years to not feel the sense of dread in the pit of her stomach.

"Miss Campbell, Dr. Winters will see you now."

Taking a deep breath for courage, she walks into the office to face her fears. Mentally counting to ten, she pushes aside that scared little girl and becomes the competent woman she's worked hard to become.

"Dr. Winters, my name is Gia Campbell. I'm here to speak with you about a court case I'm handling."

"Yes," Lainey says, looking down at her notes. "My secretary mentioned something about that. How can I help you?"

"As you may or may not know, one of your colleagues, Elizabeth Webber, is expecting Jason Morgan's child. Custody issues have arisen and I'm working on behalf of Mr. Morgan."

"Okay. I'm still not sure what I can do."

"Miss Webber has made claims that we hope you can show to be unfounded. Elizabeth wants to make a family with my client. But his girlfriend, Sam, is in her way. So Elizabeth has gone out of her way to accuse Sam of being unfit to be around her child and petitioned the court to only allow Jason to be a part of the child's life if he leaves Sam and goes to live with her."

It takes everything in Lainey not to laugh out loud. That doesn't sound at all like the Elizabeth she knows.

"That sounds rather ridiculous," Lainey starts, but in interrupted by official court documents backing Gia's claims. She reads them quickly, but gets the general idea that Gia was telling the truth. "I can't believe this would even be taken seriously in a court of law."

"Elizabeth has managed to convince everyone that Sam is forcing Jason to stay with her. That Sam made Jason push Elizabeth out of his life. That she made him choose between herself and the baby. She claims to fear for her child's life in Sam's presence, being a murder and an adulterer. As Sam's therapist, I was just wondering if we'd be able to call on you as witness to Sam's character."

"Do you really think the case will go that far? And that anything I say about Sam would make a difference to a case involving Elizabeth and Jason?" Lainey asks her, unwilling to get in the middle of the situation.

"I believe your expert opinions will make a big difference," Gia assures her.

Lainey just nods, needing to think things over before deciding. She can't help but think back to the conversation she had with Elizabeth earlier that day, though. She feels she should at least warn Gia.

"I'll think about it and get back to you with my terms should I agree. But there's something you should know, first. About Elizabeth. Keep in mind, this is nothing professional, just an observation."

"Go ahead. I'm listening."

"I met with Sam earlier today. And after she left, Elizabeth was, for some reason, lurking around my halls. She tried to pump me for information about Sam being a patient or not. Then she implied that Sam had an unhealthy attachment to Jason she needed to let go. She made it seem as Jason wanted to be with her instead of Sam, but Sam wasn't let him. She even tried to convince me to talk to Sam about letting go."

"Would you be willing to testify to this in court?" Gia asks excitedly, seeing a potential break in the case.

"Absolutely not," Lainey shakes her head. "What I've told you is nothing short of gossip. There's nothing professional about that assessment. I just thought you might want to know what I think, unofficially. It's up to you to make something or not out of it."

"Well, I thank you anyway," Gia says, standing up and offering Lainey her hand to shake. "I appreciate your time."

"Is that all then?" Lainey asks, her perceptive eyes probing Gia's. "You look troubled still."

Gia panics momentarily, wondering if her problems are still that obvious.

"Nothing I can't handle," Gia tells her, before practically running for the door.

"Gia, I'm here to help," Lainey calls out just as she reaches the door. "If it gets to the point where you _can't_ handle it."

Gia doesn't turn around, but she nods, letting Lainey knows she heard her. Outside the office, she leans against the wall, her head falling back on it with a gentle thud. She wonders to herself when her nightmare will finally be over.

Sonny helped a lot. When she started having memories of what his stepfather had done to her when she was just a little girl, she didn't know who to talk to. Her mother and brother both idolized the man. They would never believe the abuse she suffered at his hands. But Sonny believed her. And for the first time in her life, she was glad to hear how the man died at Sonny's hands. Like she told Jason and Sam earlier, she owes Sonny more than she can ever repay him. This court case is a start. Winning would only be a drop in the bucket of what she owes him. But she's determined to win all the more. She does not want to let him down.

- - -

After that first initial day of awkwardness with Tessa, things smoothed out in the Morgan household. Sam and Tessa had a blast going shopping for clothes and toys and new furniture for the room. Sam was more than happy to get rid of any reminders in that room of where Jason spent the night with Elizabeth. Tessa's presence gave the room a whole new feel.

Jason and Tessa would go to Sonny's house everyday where she'd play with the boys while Sonny and Jason handled business. She had fun with the guys, but seemed to develop quite the crush on Milo. The adoring looks she gave him made Jason's stomach churn more than he cared to admit.

"It's cute," Sam laughs one night when he tells her about it.

"But she's just a little girl," Jason points out.

"And little girls like boys. It's the way of the world."

"But Milo is not a little boy. Although he may act like it most of the time. But he's a man. She's too young to be thinking stuff like that."

Sam smiles and shakes her head.

"Little girls grow up," she says with a shrug. "They grow up and fall in love with men. Then they get married and make more little boys and girls."

"No," he groans, covering his ears, not wanting to listen to her. "Don't talk about her being grown up and getting married and having babies. Sam, she's just a baby, herself. And we haven't even had her for that long."

"Relax, Jason. It's just a little crush. I don't think Tessa's ever had people to be nice to her just because. Milo is probably just nicer than most. You said it yourself, he has that little boy mentality. I'm sure she's connecting with that."

"But . . ."

"But, what? What is this really about?"

He bites his lip, suddenly afraid of expressing out loud what he's been thinking for a few days now.

"I want to keep her," he mutters quickly, partially hoping Sam doesn't hear him.

But she does.

"You want to keep her?" she repeats, staring at him with tears in her eyes.

"I know I said this before, but it's like she was meant to be with us," he says to her. "And now that we've had her, I don't want to give her up. The three of us have bonded and having her here makes me realize how much I want a family with you, Sam."

Sam gets up and walks over to the window, letting out a deep breath along the way. It makes Jason nervous. He didn't expect the possibility that she wouldn't agree to keeping Tessa.

"Sam? If this is too soon for you, then . . ."

"No!" she says quickly, spinning around to look at him. "It's everything I wanted. I just wish that things could be so easy for you and your baby with Elizabeth. I hate that because of me, you're having to go through this."

"Don't think about that." He walks over to her and takes her in his arms. "Everything is going to work out the way it's supposed to. We just have to believe."

"I believe," she whispers, reaching up to give him a kiss. "I believe in us."

"Then anything is possible. Now, all we have to do is find out what Tessa thinks. Then we can plan something special for afterwards," he suggests.

"It can't be today, unfortunately. I have an appointment with Dr. Lee."

"Are you okay?" he asks, a worried look on his face.

"I'm fine. Just a regular type of check up. But maybe we'll find out it could be something more," she hints.

"Are you . . ."

"I don't know," she shrugs. "I'm always hopeful that every time we make love is the time when we conceive our baby. But right now, I don't know. I feel like I could be, but it could be just wishful thinking."

"You probably are," he says, preening like a proud peacock. "I did a little something extra last night, if I do say so myself. I think it got the job done."

"Oh you do?" she asks, laughing at his silliness. "Should I tell Kelly that I don't even need a test since my big studly hunk of man is so sure that he impregnated me?"

"Laugh now. But you just wait and see." He nibbles on her neck, causing a shiver to go up her spine. "Maybe we should try one more time, just to make sure."

He reaches for the buttons of her shirt, but is disappointed when she pulls away.

"Later," she promises, giving him one last kiss. "I have to go before I miss my appointment."

She goes to get her coat and heads for the door.

"Oh, and make sure Tessa gets a nap. We're going to go play with Kristina later and I don't want her to be too grumpy."

She blows him a kiss and then blows out the door.

He just laughs, realizing how domestic they are acting. A kid upstairs and one maybe on the way. His own family finally. He couldn't be happier. He feels invincible, like nothing could stop him. Whatever Elizabeth has planned, she better reconsider. Because Jason suddenly has the feeling that he can't lose.

But often, it's at times like this when a person has everything, that they have everything to lose.

To be continued . . .


	11. Chapter 11

IN THE MIDST OF IT ALL

Chapter 11

Elizabeth flips through the charts of patients being seen today by Dr. Lee. Sam's is in the middle and she suddenly begins to have some doubts. How is she ever going to get away with something like this, she wonders to herself. What makes her think she even has the right?

She looks down at her blossoming belly and smiles gently at it. Her child is depending on her to make things right. The little life inside of her gives her the right to do whatever it takes to make sure he or she has the best life possible. She'll do anything for her children. And if making sure Sam holds off on having Jason's kids is the what she has to do, then so be it. All she needs is a few more months. Once Jason sees his child live and in person, Elizabeth is sure he'll come around and do the right thing. It'll be hard for him to leave Sam, but he knows it's for the best. The last thing he'll need is for Sam to try to trap him with a baby. She hates when women do that.

"Elizabeth."

She looks up and sees Lainey Winters walking towards her. It wouldn't hurt to get a second opinion on the matter, she supposes. Maybe possibly have Lainey continue to work Sam during their sessions into letting Jason go.

"Hi, Lainey. How are you today?"

"Good. How about yourself?"

"Just trying to do all I can do now, you know. Once the baby comes, things are going to be a lot busier for me."

"Won't you have Jason to help?" Lainey asks, trying to probe the other woman for information to help her get a handle of what exactly is going on in that situation.

"Sam is still refusing to let him have any part in his child's life," Elizabeth sighs. "And until she can get over the animosity and jealousy and realize she's only hurting everyone involved, then I don't foresee anything good happening. I may very well be on my own with this baby."

Lainey just nods. She'll admit that Sam has plenty of animosity, anger, and jealousy as far as Elizabeth is concerned. But it just doesn't seem at all like the woman she's had in therapy for weeks now to deliberately hold Jason back from being with his child. And the Jason she's come to know is deeply in love with Sam. He wouldn't be making plans to leave her any time soon. Elizabeth seems to be a bit confused.

"Elizabeth, did Jason actually say that he wants to be with you and the baby?"

"He did," she insists. "When I first found out I was pregnant, he even offered to marry me. I didn't know who the father of the baby was at the time, but he told me he would marry me regardless."

Again, Lainey is having a hard time reconciling the Sam and Jason she knows with what Elizabeth is claiming.

"That must have been before he reconciled with Sam."

"What difference does it make?" Elizabeth shrugs. "The only reason Jason and I aren't married is because I turned him down and because he thought the baby wasn't his. Now that he knows, there's no way he'd want to miss out on his child's life."

"I don't understand why the baby just can't have two families. You're this child's mother, but you're not with its father. What's so strange about that? Lots of kids grow up perfectly well adjusted with their parents married to other people."

"There's no way I'd let my child anywhere near Sam."

"Why not?" Lainey challenges her.

"Let's just say that she's made some questionable decisions, decisions that I don't agree with morally and I'd rather my child not be exposed."

"And lying for months about the paternity of your child wasn't a 'questionable moral decision'? Sleeping with a man who's in love with another woman while you yourself were still in love with another man, your husband no less, isn't a 'questionable moral decision'? I'm not trying to judge here. I'm just trying to let you see that we all have issues, Elizabeth. Every fault you point out in Sam is reflected in your own life in some way."

"Well, when you see me sleeping with my mother's husband or killing kids, then we'll talk about how my life mirrors Sam's. Otherwise, I'm going to continue to do everything in my power to protect my child, and its father, from that woman's poison."

She leaves Lainey standing in shock, not sure what to think of Elizabeth's outburst. If it were anyone else, she'd worry about them backing those words with action. But Elizabeth doesn't have a malicious bone in her body. And for some reason, Lainey believes that Elizabeth believes what she's saying about Jason wanting to be with her. There's obviously something going on that Lainey just can't see. So she's going to do what was in her mind to do from the start. She's just going to stay out the whole matter as much as possible.

- - -

"I'm so nervous."

Dr. Lee looks at her patient with a gentle smile meant to calm and settle the spirit.

"Sam, I know it's a little nerve wracking right now, but just think. In a few months, you could be holding your baby in your arms."

"You really think I could be pregnant?" she asks hopefully.

Dr. Lee looks through the chart at the test results and frowns. Sam's going to be disappointed.

"Technically, no. Sorry. The test says you're not."

"Oh," Sam sighs, her shoulders drooping in disappointment.

"But, it's not a definite no yet," Dr. Lee hints. "In a day or two, we'll know for sure."

"Why the wait?" Sam is curious.

"Pregnancy tests are designed to detect a hormone called hCG that's found only in pregnant women. Two types of tests can detect this: a urine test and a blood test. The urine test is faster, but can only detect the hCG once it reaches a certain level. The urine test I gave you did not detect the hormone. But that doesn't mean it's not there. There's just isn't enough for the urine test to pick up."

"And the blood test?"

"The blood test can detect smaller traces of the hormone, which means it can detect a pregnancy sooner than a urine test. But, the lab needs a day or two to process it."

"So a few more days and I should know one way or another?"

"I'd say another week and you'll definitely know," Dr. Lee tells her. "If you've conceived any time within the past five to seven days, it may take another test in a few days to be sure."

"I'm feeling pretty sure," Sam says with a knowing smile, her hands resting on her flat stomach. "I have a strong feeling."

"Then I say go with it. Nothing wrong with thinking positively," Dr. Lee smiles. "I'll give you a vitamin booster shot today in case you are, but won't prescribe any actual prenatal vitamins until the pregnancy is confirmed."

Dr. Lee jots down notes in Sam's chart before her pager interrupts them.

"Sorry to cut this short, but I have a baby on the way that doesn't want to wait," she apologizes.

"Not a problem. You go ahead."

"I'll send the nurse in with that vitamin shot and call you when I get the results of your blood test. Good luck," Dr. Lee smiles one last time before leaving.

"Tanya," she says to the nurse in the hall. "I need you to finish up with my patient in this room. I left notes in her chart for what she needs. Once she gets the shot, she's free to leave."

"Is she getting the birth control shot as usual?" Tanya asks, recognizing Sam's name on the chart.

"No, not today, Tanya. Just a vitamin booster." The pager blares again causing Dr. Lee to mutter a curse. "I really need to get going."

As Dr. Lee leaves, Tanya heads towards the supply closet. She's delayed by a phone call at the nurse's station that turns out to be a misdirected call. Unfortunately, several minutes are wasted trying to find out who the nice, old lady was trying to reach. After that's straightened out, she quickly makes her way to get the vitamin shot, bumping into another nurse on her way out.

"I'm sorry, I was in a rush," Tanya apologizes to the back of the woman's head. The woman barely acknowledges the apology and practically rushes out the door. Tanya just shrugs and goes to get what she needs. Sighing in relief when she luckily manages to grab, she gets it and a syringe and heads to Sam's room.

She doesn't see her mystery nurse tossing a label-less vial into the trash, a victoriously smug smile on her face.

- - -

"Two scoops. Please, Jason?"

Tessa looks up with a little pout and some puppy dog eyes that has Jason shaking his head in disbelief. The kid is master manipulator. At least with him, anyway. Anything she wants, she knows how to get from him. Oddly enough, Sonny's worse than he is with her. He spoils her rotten when she's at his house playing with Kristina and the boys. Between Sonny and Milo, it's no wonder he feels the need to over compensate when he's with her. But two scoops of ice cream? He's not so sure.

"Pretty please?"

"Okay," he relents. "Just eat it fast. Sam would kill us if she knew I gave you this much ice cream this close to dinner."

"How about me? Do I get two scoops too?"

He turns around and finds Gia standing in line behind them. He's finding his initial reaction to cringe when he sees her lessening with each day he knows her. It helps that they've all shared several pleasant evenings over at Windemere with Nikolas and Emily. If the two of them don't hold a grudge for what she did all those years ago, then why should he? Besides, she's doing some very good work on his case.

"Why don't you join us," he offers after placing the order for the three ice cream sundaes.

"That would be lovely, thank you. How have you been, Tessa?" she asks, knowing good and well since she sees the child nearly every day. She keeps her door opened to the little girl since she lives just across the hall. She finds it's rather relaxing having her around. It takes away from the loneliness.

"I'm good. Uncle Sonny told me he would get me a pony," she says excitedly, her eyes lighting up when Mike brings her ice cream to the table. "But Jason says we have to talk to Sam about it first."

"Come on, Jason. Uncle Sonny wants to buy the girl a pony. You should let him," Gia teases.

"Well, what if I wanted to buy you a pony?" Jason asks, wiping off a dab of whipped cream that Tessa has already gotten on her nose.

"That's a good point, Tessa. Dads like to get stuff for their little girls."

"Are you going to be my daddy?" Tessa asks, looking up innocently at Jason.

Gia winces, giving him an apologetic smile before sitting back to let him handle the question they weren't quite ready to talk about yet.

"Well, Sam and I have been talking about it," he admits. "We want to keep you if you want to stay with us."

"Cool," she says, taking another bit of ice cream as if the news of her possibly being adopted wasn't the biggest thing in her life. "Does that mean I can call you Daddy now?"

"If you're comfortable with that." He tries to hide his smile, but he can't think of anything he'd like better.

"Can I call Sam Mommy?"

"I think she'd like that a lot."

"But Uncle Sonny will still be Uncle Sonny. And he can still buy me a pony. I'll just have two," she figures, making Jason and Gia smile again at her childlike innocence.

"Yeah, yeah. Just eat your ice cream, kid," Jason says before looking up at Gia. "Anything new with the case?"

"Not much. I spoke with Lainey Winters about being a possible character witness for Sam if we need one. She agreed so long as we only discuss Sam. She brought up some strange things she's noticed with Elizabeth, but she refuses to "gossip", as she called it. I think I might can press her on it if necessary."

"It might be necessary," Jason nods. "I can't figure if Elizabeth is deliberately being so obtuse or if she really believes all the garbage she's been spreading about Sam. She seems to be on a mission to prove to everyone in town that Sam is the unstable one. I don't know. Maybe the stress is getting to her. It's so unlike her."

"I don't think so," Gia scoffs. "This is the Elizabeth I have always known. You've just been blind to her."

Jason doesn't comment. He just shrugs, not wanting to come down on one side or the other. But he visibly tenses when the door opens. Gia turns around to see what's captured his attention.

"Well, well, well. Speak of the devil and he shall appear. Or she, in this case."

Elizabeth walks straight to the table and ignoring Gia and Tessa, speaks only to Jason.

"Hi, Jason. It's good to see you without Sam for a change. You think I could speak with you for a few minutes."

"As you can see, I'm not alone," he points out. "I think you remember Gia."

Elizabeth turns and gives her a look, rolling her eyes before looking back at Jason.

"I'd much rather forget," she remarks. "Besides, the last time she was in town, you two weren't exactly friends, either. What's going on?"

"Gia is my custody attorney," he explains, nearly smiling at the frightening sheer pale white her face turns.

"Attorney. Well, this is . . . awkward. But it's awfully unprofessional of you to conduct a meeting with your child, Gia. Should I even ask where her father is?"

"You're looking at him," Jason says, this time unable to hold in his laugh at the look on her face. "She belongs to Sam and me. We're adopting her."

"Why's that mean lady still here?" Tessa asks with a whisper. She turns to glare at Elizabeth, a serious little scowl on her face.

"Elizabeth isn't mean, Sweetie. She's just bitter and delusional," Gia explains.

"What does that mean?" Tessa asks, skinning her nose up in confusion.

"Nothing. Miss Gia is the one who's being mean," Jason says, giving Gia a scolding glare. She just sticks her tongue out at him, making Tessa giggle.

"Elizabeth, your order is ready," Mike calls from the counter.

"I called in my dinner order," she explains. "But I'm a little short, if you even care about your child being fed."

"Just tell Mike I'll take care of it," Jason says, staring blankly at her while she just stands there. "Is there anything else?"

"Since you're being so generous, Tessa and I are going up to the counter to order me a big dinner to go. On you, of course," Gia smiles, taking the little girl's hand and leading her away from the tension at the table that she doesn't need to see.

"You had an appointment a few days ago and we talked then," Jason continues after Tessa is out of ear shot. "That was the deal, remember? I support the baby financially and go with you to appointments. And in return, you decide you're going to sue for full custody and try to keep me from my child because I won't leave Sam and marry you."

"Jason, you know it's not like that," Elizabeth claims. "Sam has this hold on you that's not healthy. And I won't tolerate her presence in my child's life. You are free to be a part of this child's life, but not while you're in your present situation. I feel sorry for you, I do. And that sweet little girl over there. Sam will drag the two of you down to her level. It doesn't have to be that way. Teena has a smart mouth, but I'll welcome her like my own after a little discipline."

"Her name is Tessa and you better not even think of taking her from Sam," he warns her. "You are right on the edge, Elizabeth. I don't know if you realize how far you're pushing me, but you want to stop now. Harass me all you want, but you will not say another bad word about Sam. If I hear otherwise, or if I've learned that you've hurt her in anyway . . ."

He lets the threat hang in the air, the look on her face letting him know that she realizes how serious he is. She nervously goes to the counter and grabs her food, throwing some money on the counter before leaving. After she's gone, Gia comes back with Tessa, the little girl's mouth full of cookie.

"Guess she wasn't as broke as she claimed," Gia smirks.

"Guess not. Sam's really going to kill me," he says with a wince. "A cookie? After all that ice cream?"

"Well, if you want to get rid of the evidence, you better do it now," Gia warns him. "Because here comes Sam."

Jason turns around and smiles, welcoming Sam with a hug.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" He leans down to kiss her, but notices the clammy feel to her skin. "Hey, are you okay?"

"I don't know. I felt kind of weird and stopped here for some tea or something."

She staggers a little, causing Jason's grip to tighten around her.

"Come sit down for a minute," Jason suggests, leading Sam to a chair and signaling for the waitress to come over. He goes to the counter to order her a cup of tea while she reaches out for Tessa.

"Hey, Sweetheart. Looks like you and Jason are having a good time."

"He bought me ice cream. And Miss Gia bought me a cookie while Daddy was yelling at that mean lady," Tessa explains.

"Daddy?"

"He says that you're gonna dopt me and be my mommy and daddy now," she chatters.

"And you're okay with that?" Sam asks curiously, not trying to put any kind of pressure on the girl.

"Of course, Silly. You're the best mommy I ever had."

"Oh, I'm silly now?" Sam asks, tickling the girl and making her laugh. Sam laughs with her and suddenly feels as if her insides are splitting apart.

"Gia," she calls out, trying to disguise her pain to Tessa. "Tessa is a mess. Can you help her wash up?"

Gia takes one look at the strain on her face and realizes something is wrong.

"Jason," she calls to him to alert him to Sam's troubles. Then she reaches down to take Tessa's hand.

"Hey, Kid. How about we go to my place and hang out for awhile?"

"Mommy?" Tessa asks, scared by what's going on even as the adults try to shield her from it.

"It's okay, Baby," Sam tries to assure her. "Go on with Miss Gia."

Jason tries to contain his panic until after Gia and Tessa leave, but the minute they're out the door, he's kneeling at Sam's side.

"What's wrong?"

"I don't know," Sam groans as the pain begins to overtake her. "It just hurts. And I feel kind of groggy. Like the darkness is closing in or something."

She sways again, this time passing out completely into his arms.

"Sam!" he yells out, realizing in the back of his mind that he's panicking, but he can't stop himself. He looks down and finds a quickly growing puddle of blood around her feet and almost loses it completely.

"Somebody help!" he yells, scooping her up into his arms.

"What's wrong?" Mike asks, blanching when he sees the blood too. "What happened to Sam?"

"I have to get her to the hospital," Jason says, near tears, but still holding it together. "I don't know what's wrong with her and I don't have time to wait."

"I'll drive," Mike says, yelling out some orders to one of waitresses to run things while he's gone.

"Hold on, Baby," Jason whispers into Sam's ear. "Just hold on for me."

To be continued . . .


	12. Chapter 12

IN THE MIDST OF IT ALL

Chapter 12

The machines beep steadily, the usually dreadful sound the only thing letting him know that she's still with him.

"Wake up, Sam," he whispers, her tiny hand cradled in his much larger one. "Wake up and fight this."

"Jason."

He turns around when he hears the voice at the door. Dr. Lee is there, along with both Monica and Alan. They motion for him to come outside.

"How are you holding up?" Monica asks, wanting so badly to bundle her baby boy up in her arms. But she knows he can't. She knows he wouldn't allow it.

"I just need for Sam to wake up. I don't understand why she's still unconscious. I'm not even sure I understand what's going on at all."

"That's what I'm here to explain," Dr. Lee starts, looking nervously at the trio of Quartermaines circling around her. These people make the town and this hospital. She might very well be out of a job after this, but the truth must be told.

"The official diagnosis is hypovolemic shock due to Sam's massive and uncontrollable blood loss. We've already transfused her once and it's looking as if we'll have to do so again."

"What caused the excessive bleeding?" Monica wants to know.

"The excessive bleeding Sam experienced was the result of a miscarriage."

"What?" Jason gasps, his face turning a pale, pasty white color.

"Why don't you sit down, Son," Alan suggests as he reaches out for his son's arm, afraid that the young man is about to collapse.

"I'm fine," Jason says gritting his teeth. "Just finish. Tell me what caused this. Was it me? Did I agree to try too soon for another baby? Was she not all the way healed? Did my baby almost killed the woman I love?"

"That's not it at all," Dr. Lee says quickly, noting the guilt all over Jason's face. "Sam's miscarriage was from a most unnatural of causes. Which is why the bleeding was so difficult to stop. When most women miscarry this early, sometimes it's barely even noticeable. Some light spotting, some cramping, nothing at all like what we saw with Sam. Whatever caused this miscarriage literally tore her insides apart."

Jason winces and closes his eyes, his skin going from pasty to greenish.

"What happened to her?" he asks, practically moaning. But he needs to know.

"This is the hard part, almost unbelievable, actually," Dr. Lee says, hesitating before taking a deep breath to continue. "There was a mix up somehow. During her appointment today, Sam and I discussed the possibility of her being pregnant."

Dr. Lee opens Sam's chart and flips to the page from the earlier appointment to show to the Doctors Quartermaine.

"As you can see here, I noted the negative urine test for pregnancy but sent out a blood test as back up. I recommended a vitamin booster for her, in case the blood test came back positive, and then had to leave to go deliver a baby. I left verbal and written instructions for the nurse on duty to give Sam the vitamin booster. The nurse on duty went into the supply closet and got the vitamin booster. But what Sam ended up with was a high dose of the birth control shot she had gotten during all of her previous visits."

"That nurse gave birth control to a pregnant woman?" Monica gasps.

"It would appear to be the case," Dr. Lee nods reluctantly. "But I don't think . . ."

"Give me her name," Alan coldly says. "Who is this woman who just recklessly killed my grandchild?"

"It's Tanya Grant. The police are with her now," Dr. Lee admits. "Once I realized what happened, I had to call them to report this."

"I'm going to see what's happening with all of this," Alan huffs. "Monica?"

"Jason are you . . . I mean, will you be okay here?" she asks him, worried at his silence. Worried at what he's going to do. "I can stay with you if . . ."

"Go on with Alan. Find out what happened. And then promise me you'll tell me who this nurse is and where I can find her."

"Jason, I'm not so sure . . ."

"Promise me!" he yells, before putting back on the stone cold facade. "I deserve to know."

"Okay," Monica nods, not knowing what else she can do. She knows with some work, he'll be able to find out for himself. So she may as well tell him what she discovers. She's just afraid of what Jason will do to the woman when they meet face to face. She's afraid of what _she'll_ do to the woman.

After Monica and Alan leave, Jason turns back to Dr. Lee, his eyes full of rage.

"Did you have anything to do with this?" he growls at her.

"Excuse me? Are you accusing me of . . ."

"Just answer the question. I don't have time for games. What did you have to do with this?"

"Nothing," Dr. Lee swears. "I had nothing to do with it. I got a page to go deliver a baby and left Sam in the capable hands of my nurse. I left her doing what she has done many times for me in the past. I trust her completely and don't believe for a minute she'd make a mistake like this."

"Then what happened? How did something like this happen?"

Dr. Lee looks over her shoulder to make sure the hall is clear. The police told her not to discuss anything with anyone. She's about to break that order and tell Jason.

"When I got my page, I explained to Sam what was going on and left the room. I finished my notes of her examination and gave the chart to the nurse. The police have a copy of this chart if you next want to accuse me of forging it in anyway," she snipes.

"No," he says. Not now anyway. Right now, he needs her story so right now, he can pretend to trust her. "Continue."

"I gave Tanya the chart and asked her to finish with Sam, something she's done on several occasions."

"What did you tell her, exactly. And what did she say to you? Oh, and where were the two of you?"

"We were standing in the hall about halfway between the nurse's desk on that floor and the examination room Sam was in. Why do you want to know that?"

"So someone could have overheard what you said to the nurse," Jason mutters, mostly to himself, before signaling for her to continue.

"And that's it," Dr. Lee swears. "I told the nurse to give Sam the vitamin shot. She made a point to ask me about the birth control shot, since that's what Sam normally gets. But I told her no. Just the vitamin shot. Then I left."

"I have to talk to that nurse. I have to look her in the eyes and ask her how she could have done this to Sam."

Jason looks back into the room and sighs.

"When is she going to wake up?"

They walk into the room and Dr. Lee does a quick examination.

"Well, this last batch of blood seems to be sticking. I think the bleeding out has stopped. We just have to wait for her to regain her strength. She should be fine."

"What about more kids? Will we still be able to have them? I know it's the first question she's going to ask."

"Not right away," Dr. Lee frowns. "Besides needing to heal from the trauma that has been done, she still has that mega dose of birth control in her system. It's going to do his job. By my estimation, she got nearly a six month dose. So she should be good to go by the time everything settles from when Elizabeth has her baby."

Dr. Lee leaves him alone with Sam, not realizing the buzz she just planted in his head. It all seems a little convenient all of a sudden. He'll have to talk to Elizabeth and find out what she knows. As soon as Sam is better, he's going to do whatever it takes to figure this out. And then, he's going to make whoever is responsible pay.

- - -

Elizabeth steps off the elevator and is curious to see the group of nurses with their heads together, whispering conspiratorially with each other.

"What's going on?" she asks when she gets behind the counter, the gleam of gossip fresh in most of their eyes.

"Nothing at all," Epiphany says, coming up behind them all. One stern look from her has them all scrambling back to their duties.

"No really. What's going on?" Elizabeth asks again after they're all gone. She doesn't get an answer, though. Not right away at least. Lainey's interruption keeps Epiphany from giving her the low down.

"As the charge nurse, I was told to come to you about me speaking with Tanya Grant about this incident," Lainey explains. "The hospital wants all of its bases covered in case this goes any further."

"I'll let you know," Epiphany says, taking a protective stance over all her nurses.

Lainey just nods at Epiphany before leaving, not really sure if she just got permission or a blow off. She looks over at Elizabeth and can see the anxious look in her eye. So she decides to wait just out of their view to see exactly what the woman knows about this situation, if anything. She could be reaching, but the turn of events seem a little too coincidental for her liking.

"Who's Tanya Grant?" Elizabeth asks when she thinks Lainey is out of ear shot.

"An OB/GYN nurse," Epiphany explains. "She's in some trouble for a drug mix up. She mistakenly gave Sam McCall a birth control shot instead of the vitamin shot Dr. Lee prescribed."

"See, this is why Sam makes me so sick. It's not because of how awful she's been to me because of her jealousy over me carrying Jason's baby. But it's at times like this when her true colors show. She's such a drama queen. She's making a big deal out of what? Nothing. So she got the wrong medicine. So she'll have to wait a little while longer before trying to trap Jason with a baby. She's willing to ruin the career of a perfectly good nurse because she can't control her own animal urges."

"Actually, Sam isn't doing much of anything but dying right now," Epiphany enlightens her.

"What? How?" Elizabeth practically stutters, a brief flash of her own bout birth control poisoning coming back to her mind.

"Hypovolemic shock. She's bleeding out from the miscarriage."

"The mis . . ." Elizabeth raises one hand to her mouth and rests one on her stomach. "Miscarriage? From what?"

"What do you think? The woman had her uterus zapped enough birth control for 6 or 8 women her size. Her baby didn't stand a chance. So I suggest you leave the "drama queen" remark out of your consolation speech when you go see Jason."

She gives Epiphany a weak smile. She feels sick. And she's about to get sicker with what she hears next as Cruz Rodriguez stops by the desk.

"Ladies, how are you? I'm sure you've heard about the trouble around here. And I'm sorry to have to do this to the staff, but I'm going to have to request that no one leaves this hospital for the next few hours. So if the two of you could spread the word, then I'd really appreciate it."

"Why are we being detained?" Elizabeth asks nervously.

"We found the two bottles that had been mixed up. Evidence points to this being a deliberate set up. The fingerprints should give us possible suspects once we cross reference them with hospital employees."

"Fingerprints?"

Cruz gets a phone call, so misses the look of pure panic in Elizabeth's eyes. He excuses himself from the women to take his call in privacy.

"You okay?" Epiphany asks, the concern evident in her voice. "You look kind of queasy."

"My . . . um, lunch. It didn't agree with me," Elizabeth lies. "I think I'm going back to the break room and rest for a little longer. Do you mind me sneaking off for a few more minutes."

"No, go ahead. You take care of that baby. As much as you two are at odds, that baby of yours is going to be a source of comfort for Jason when it's born."

Elizabeth tries to maintain a cool image until she gets into the elevators and the doors close. As soon as she's by herself, however, the panic returns.

"What have I done?" she asks herself, biting her lip to hold back the sobs wanting to break free.

Jason's going to kill her. He's going to find out what happened and he's going to kill her. She looks down at her belly, wondering if the fact that she's pregnant would make any difference, or if he'd kill her all the same.

She can't take that risk. Her fingerprints will be all over those bottles. And even if they police discount that little fact as coincidence, she knows Jason won't. He'll figure it out. And he'll hate her.

She has to leave. She has to leave town now and go far, far away. Hopefully someplace where Jason will never find her.

After the elevator begins its descent, Epiphany calls out to the shadows.

"You know, eavesdropping isn't very polite."

A contrite looking Lainey emerges from her hiding place and walks back over to Epiphany.

"I was concerned," she shrugs. "I've had some conflicting reports over the past few weeks regarding this war between Elizabeth and Sam. I was curious to see what Elizabeth's reaction would be when she found out what she had done to Sam."

"What do you mean? You think Elizabeth did this?" Epiphany whispers, not wanting that bit of gossip to get out.

"Don't you? Didn't you see the guilt on her face? Listen, before you get all defensive, I'm not trying to say she was deliberately trying to hurt Sam. From what I gathered, Elizabeth had no idea that Sam was pregnant."

"So what are you saying? That Elizabeth arranged for Sam to get a big dose of birth control? Why would she even care enough to go through the trouble?"

Lainey just looks pointedly at Epiphany until she figures it out for herself.

"For her own baby's sake. So that Sam's efforts to have Jason's baby would fail," Epiphany finally realizes. "Elizabeth wanted to make sure her baby got all of Jason's attention."

"It's more than that. Elizabeth has managed to convince herself that Jason wants to be with her but that Sam is stopping him. I spoke with Elizabeth earlier today and she called the woman "poison" and felt as if it were her job to protect Jason from Sam."

"That doesn't mean that Elizabeth is behind this."

"No, it doesn't," Lainey agrees. "And if the police were to question me, I wouldn't accuse her of anything. But I believe I'm right about her doing this. And if I am right, then I don't believe she ever intended on killing Sam's baby. This was a move of desperation. Something she thought would harmlessly give her the time to win Jason's heart. She didn't plan on things turning out so badly. So right now, the guilt has got to be eating at her and it's going to cause her to do something even more reckless."

"Like what?" Epiphany asks, now worried that Lainey could be right after all.

"I wish I knew," Lainey shrugs. "Between the guilt over what happened and the abject terror that Jason will find out, there's no telling what she'll do."

- - -

"Ummm."

Jason hears her groan and runs over to her bedside.

"Sam? Baby, can you hear me?"

"Jason?"

"Yeah," he smiles, letting out a relieved sigh. "You're okay. You're going to be just fine."

He strokes her hair off her forehead and presses a kiss there, so grateful that she's conscious.

"Tessa?" she asks, blinking sleepily as she searches the room.

"She's fine. Gia took her to Sonny's. So with my luck, she's probably trying to convince Milo to elope with her by now," Jason smiles, taking her hand in his. He can't seem to stop touching her, not wanting to lose the connection.

"How about me? What happened?"

"How are you feeling?" he asks, deflecting the question.

"Tired," she yawns. "Weak."

"You had a bad reaction to something," he says, only telling her half the truth. "You're going to be fine now, though."

She can see he's holding back and tries to push herself up on the bed.

"Jason, you're not telling me everything. I can see it in your eyes. I see grief and pain. I was bad, wasn't I? I almost died again, didn't I?"

"It was bad," he nods, looking down at their clasped hands. "It was really bad. I was scared."

"No," she says shaking her head. She cups her hand under his chin and lifts his head so that she can look into his eyes again. "It wasn't fear or worry I saw. It was something else. Now tell me. What did I have a reaction to? I haven't had anything to eat or drink since before my appointment with Dr. Lee. Did something happen with her?"

He just nods, turning his head away again.

"You're so weak because you were . . . bleeding. A lot. It wouldn't stop."

"Jason, just tell me," she pleads.

He can hear the tears in her voice and realizes she knows something is terribly wrong. So he decides to just tell it to her straight and pray they both have the strength to get through this. Again.

To be continued . . .


	13. Chapter 13

IN THE MIDST OF IT ALL

Chapter 13

"Again. Run the tests again."

Detective Cruz Rodriguez looks at the current results in his hands, not at all happy with what he sees.

"This doesn't make any sense," he mutters to himself, going over and over in his mind what this all means.

"Sir, we've already run them three times," one brave lab tech says, speaking up for the rest of the crew who have been working overtime on this.

Cruz realizes he's right. The truth is here in black and white. What that truth is, he still doesn't know. Right now, there's one person who can answer that question for him. Before he does anything, he needs to speak to Elizabeth. He owes his friendship with Lucky at least that much.

On his way out the door, his phone rings.

"Yeah, Rodriguez."

"What do you have on this hospital medicine mix up?"

It's the DA. Lucky for Cruz, he's on the phone and not in a face to face meeting. Something tells him the DA wouldn't appreciate him rolling his eyes at the sound of his voice. He just flat out doesn't like the man. He doesn't trust the man and he hates working for someone so corrupt.

But, like it or not, the man is his boss. And he has to answer to him.

"Got a print match on the bottles," Cruz tells him. "I'm going to go speak with the suspect now. I want to handle this discretely. It's Elizabeth Webber."

The other end of the line is quiet for a few moments and Cruz isn't sure the man even heard him.

"DA Lansing? Did you hear what I said?"

"Yeah, I heard you."

Another long silence has Cruz about to call out to him again, when Ric finally speaks.

"I'm going to need to see everything you have on this case before you speak to anyone," Ric decides. "Then I'll let you know which direction we're going to end up taking on this case."

"Sir?"

"Just get over to my office. And bring everything you have. All the reports, witness statements, everything. I want to, uh . . . go over it all very carefully to make sure this is worth pursuing."

The phone clicks in his ear before Cruz can say another word. But all that's in his head right now is how strange that phone call was. And how little he trusts the DA. He doesn't have a good feeling about this. So he makes one stop in his office before following Ric's orders.

- - -

The screaming he could handle.

The violent sobs tore at his heart, but those he knew how to comfort.

This is scaring him. The stillness. The silence. The quiet tears pouring steadily from her eyes as he can do no more than cradle her cold hand in his own.

"Sam," he whispers, pressing a gentle kiss to the palm of her hand. "Talk to me. Please."

She just blinks, forcing even more tears to flow.

He looks up as the doctor comes into the room for another exam.

"She won't speak. She won't move," Jason tells her, his voice quaking with fear. "You have to do something to help her."

"I can get Lainey in here to talk to her," Dr. Lee says. "Other than that, this is something Sam is going to have to work out on her own."

"It's not fair that she has to go through this at all," he sighs, staring into Sam's empty eyes. He kisses her palm again before cupping it against his cheek, trying desperately to spread some of his warmth to her.

"If you ask me, you're the best medicine for her. Just keep loving her, Jason," Dr. Lee advises. "And trust that she feels it. When she's ready, your love is all she's going to have to guide her from the darkness."

"Thanks, doctor."

Dr. Lee just nods sadly at him before leaving them alone again.

"Sam. Don't leave me," he pleads, closing his eyes and allowing one tear to break the barrier he's worked so hard to keep up. It lands on her hand, the moist warmth causing it to flinch.

Jason looks up at her, and for the first time notices a spark of recognition in her eyes.

"I'm here," she whispers tearfully. "I just don't want to be."

"I know," he says, cradling her in his arms as he climbs into the bed with her. "This shouldn't have happened. It's okay to be angry that it did. It's okay to cry and to scream and to rail at the injustice of it all. Just don't shut me out. It terrifies me when I can't reach you."

"I bring you nothing but sadness. Nothing but heartache. I can't even give you a family," she cries.

"Shh," he tries to calm her. "You, Sam, are my family. And we have Tessa now. I wouldn't trade the two of you for anything."

That only makes her cry even harder, but at the same time, she holds onto him even tighter. For some reason, it makes him feel better than he has all day. She's at least grieving and allowing him to grieve with her.

They're going to get through this. It's going to be tough, but they're going to make it so long as they do it together.

He just holds her until her sobs leave her drained, and she falls into an exhausted slumber. But still he continues to hold her, needing to feel her as much as he knows she needs to feel him.

Again there's a knock on the door that interrupts them. Annoyed at the intrusion, Jason shoots an angry glare at the latest intruder.

"We're not quite ready for visitors," he says, keeping his voice down to avoid waking Sam.

"I'm not a visitor, I'm her mother," Alexis snaps. "And I should have been notified immediately. What happened here? What are they doing to help her?"

"Not now, Alexis. Please. I'll have the doctor explain it all to you, but Sam doesn't need to deal with us fighting right now."

"If you want a fight, I'll give you one," Alexis warns him. "Just remember who won the last time we got into it over my daughter's health care. If her doctors tell me she's not in any position to make any medical decisions on her own, you better believe I'll have you out of here faster than you can stay . . . "

"Get out."

Alexis turns in shock to the voice from the bed, surprised to hear Sam speak.

"You're okay?" she asks her daughter, ignoring Jason's glare and walking to Sam's bedside.

"I can't deal with you right now, Alexis," she says. "Just do as Jason asks and leave us alone."

"I'm sorry. I can't do that. I can't in good conscious shirk my responsibility to you to make sure you're properly taken care of. Jason doesn't have the authority to . . ."

"Jason is my husband now," Sam tells her, pleased at how the little bombshell caught her off guard. "He has every right and authority to make my medical decisions in the event that I cannot. He's always had that right, but now, it's legal."

"Married? When did you two get married?"

"Three months ago. So far, we've only told our friends about it."

"And that obviously doesn't include me," Alexis realizes.

Jason can sense the tension and decides to do something about it.

"Do you want her to leave?" he turns to Sam, asking her before he kicks the woman out. She just nods, turning away from Alexis and that gives him the chance to do what he's been itching to do.

But before he gets the chance, the door flies open and Tessa runs inside. A breathless Gia runs in a few moments behind her.

"She's a fast little devil, isn't she?" Gia asks, a frightened look on her face. "Sorry. When I mentioned coming here to see Sam, it took everything in my power to . . ."

"No, don't apologize," Sam says, the first genuine smile since the incident on her face at the sight of the little girl. "Never apologize for bringing my girl to me. Come here, Tessa. I need to hug you."

Jason lifts the girl and gently sits her on the bed next to Sam.

"You have to be careful, Tessa. Don't move around too much," Jason admonishes her.

"I missed you, Mommy," Tessa whispers into Sam's ear, giving her a kiss on the cheek. "Are you okay?"

"I'm much better now that you're here," Sam smiles, stroking the girl's hair. "Gia, thank you so much for bringing her. I've been needing to see her. I just didn't realize how much until now."

"Hi Tessa. Gia," Alexis says from the side of the room she moved to when all the commotion started. "I heard you were in town from Nikolas. It's good to see you finally."

"It's good to see you, too," Gia smiles. "I'd love to stay and visit, but Jason and I need to discuss something out in the hall. You wouldn't mind staying with Sam and Tessa for a few minutes."

"Gia, that might not be such a good idea," Jason says, giving Sam a glance to see if it's okay with her.

"I won't upset her, Jason," Alexis swears. "It's obvious that Gia has something important to talk to you about and Tessa can't stay in here alone with Sam."

"Sam?"

"We'll be fine," Sam nods, giving him permission to go.

He gives both Sam and Tessa kisses on the forehead before stepping out into the hall with Gia.

"What's this about?" he asks immediately, not wanting to go too far from Sam's room. But he follows Gia when she leads him to a lounge a few doors away.

"There's been a break in the case," Gia explains to him when they get into the lounge and find it already occupied by the PCPD, Sonny, and Max. "Detective Rodgriguez wanted to personally update us."

"Why do I get the feeling I'm not going to like what you have to say?" Jason asks, looking around the room at the somber faces. "You're not here to question me, are you?"

"I'm not here in any official capacity," Cruz says. "In fact, my being here will probably end my "official" status. But I felt it was only right to do this."

He tosses a file on the table and it slides over to Jason.

"That is what has been put down on the books as the official findings of this case," Cruz explains. "As you can see, the DA decided that not enough evidence to rule foul play existed, so he has closed the case and declared this unfortunate event an accident. Officially, the hospital received mislabeled bottles of medication, one of which was unfortunately given to Sam. No charges are going to be filed against anyone."

"But this isn't what actually happened?"

"Not even close, Jason." Cruz pulls out another file, keeping this one for himself. "This is a copy of all the evidence I had gathered, all the tests I had run, and all the statements I had taken. Everything pointed to one person as the responsible party. Once the DA found out who that person was, he made sure all of this evidence was destroyed and the person is nowhere to be found."

"You could lose your job for this, couldn't you, Cruz?" Sonny asks, seeing what this is costing the man. "My brother threatened you to keep this quiet."

"He warned me," Cruz nods. "He said that I'd lose my job if I didn't turn the case over to him and let him deal with it as he saw fit."

"Why would he care?" Jason asks. "Who is he trying to protect?"

"You're not going to like it," Cruz warns him before giving him the last file folder.

Jason flips through the file with Gia and Sonny looking over his shoulder. Gia is able to cut through the legalese a lot quicker and gasps when she reads the part about Cruz's suspect.

"I don't believe it," she says, covering her mouth.

"Elizabeth? Elizabeth did this?" Jason drops the folder back onto the table. Sonny picks it up and reads through everything more carefully.

"There must be some mistake," Sonny says. "Why would Elizabeth do something like this?"

"All evidence pointed to her. The official report doesn't list this, but the accused nurse, Tanya Grant, gave a description of a nurse leaving the supply closet as she was entering. That description matched Elizabeth. Tanya Grant also described taking a phone call at the nurse's station prior to going into the supply closet that seemed to have been a prank. The call was traced to Elizabeth's cell phone. And Elizabeth's fingerprints were found on the bottle of medicine the nurse gave Sam as well as on a label-less bottle found in a trash in the hallway that contained the vitamins Sam was supposed to receive."

"Elizabeth did this?" Jason repeats, the shock still fresh on him. "Elizabeth almost killed the woman I loved? She killed the child I Sam and I were going to have? And she's just going to get away with it?"

"Calm down, Jason," Sonny tells him, gesturing over to Max.

"Is that why all these people are here?" Jason asks suspiciously. "To keep me in check?"

"I can't let you do anything stupid, Jason," Cruz says. "But I knew I couldn't let you believe a lie."

"Jason, Detective Rodriguez risked my brother's wrath to get this information to us. Don't let him regret it."

"No. The only thing I regret is ever trusting Elizabeth Webber. And the only thing you're going to regret, Cruz, is not getting out of my way," Jason growls.

"To do what, Jason? You're going to go find her? And then what? She's pregnant with your child. Are you going to kill her to pay her back for what she did to Sam?"

"I want to," Jason sighs, sinking into the nearest chair. "I want to find her and wrap my hands around her neck and squeeze until she's dead. But I can't do that, can I? She really is going to get away with this, isn't she?"

"I'm sorry. I'm truly sorry," Cruz apologizes. "I thought I was doing the right thing by coming here. I just . . . the DA is so dirty. He gets away with so much. And criminals or not, you and Sonny are about as decent as they come. I couldn't let him get away with this."

"Where did he take Elizabeth?" Sonny asks, trying to come up with some way to salvage this situation.

"I don't know that he did," Cruz says with a shrug. "She might have taken off on her own. I briefly spoke with Lainey Winters and she mentioned how Elizabeth was in a hurry to get out of here when I first mentioned finding some prints. I think she knew then that it was only a matter of time before she was caught."

"If she's out there on her own, then we'll find her," Sonny assures Jason. "There's only so far she'll be able to go as pregnant as she is with a toddler in tow."

"She has plenty of money. I gave her more than enough when I found out the baby was mine," Jason tells them. "We can watch the account to see if she's recently taken out a lot or if she touches it in the future."

"Don't worry about it. We'll find her, Jason."

"I know," he sighs, giving his friend a tired smile. "I have bigger things to worry about now. Like telling Sam."

"She's going to want Elizabeth dead," Sonny realizes.

"And I'm going to have to figure out a way to explain to her why I can't kill her when there's nothing right now that I want more."

"Excuse me. Did you all forget about the cop in the room?" Gia asks, pointing to Cruz. "There's nothing a lawyer likes hearing less than talk of murder around officers of the law. At least give me some sort of deniability for when that witch turns up with a bullet between the eyes. Let's not discuss any more ways we'd like to see Elizabeth die."

Silence fills the room until Cruz suddenly cracks up at Gia's comment.

Tickled at seeing Cruz so tickled, Gia can't help but laugh too. Pretty soon, Sonny and Max are cracking smiles.

"Sorry," Cruz says, trying to calm down. "I just thought about how ridiculous this situation is as point out by Miss Campbell here and couldn't help myself."

"Well, try," Jason says somberly, the only person in the room not amused in the least. "Because you, my new friend, are coming with me to explain this all to Sam. I can guarantee you won't find it so funny, then."

Jason storms out and Cruz has no choice but to follow.

"Yeah, my money is going on Sam," Gia says when they're gone. "She's going to want blood. And if she can't have Elizabeth's, she's going to take it from Jason and Cruz. Too bad. Cruz is really cute."

Sonny and Max just wince in sympathy and realize that not for all the money in the world would they trade places with those two men currently walking to their doom.

But they would get a ticket for the show.

"Think we should go watch?" Sonny asks nonchalantly, already heading towards the door.

"Oh, I wouldn't miss this for the world," Gia grins as she follows. "Besides, Cruz might need a little consoling afterwards. I think I'll be just the girl for the job."

Max just shakes his head at the two of them. But he has to admit to being curious about the upcoming fireworks as well. He just hopes that after all is said and done, Jason and the boss are clear on what's going to happen. This battle between Sam and Elizabeth has been a long time in coming. And the time has come for Jason to finally pick a side once and for all. He just hopes for everyone's sake, Jason chooses wisely.

To be continued . . .


	14. Chapter 14

IN THE MIDST OF IT ALL  
Chapter 14

* * *

When Jason reaches Sam's room, he's glad to find Emily inside along with Sam, Tessa, and Alexis. Considering the involvement of Ric, Jason feels Alexis should be in on this conversation as well.

"Hey, I'm back," he says as he walks into the room, trying to put on a happy face for Tessa's sake. The girl has been scared enough over the past few days. She doesn't need to know that this is only the beginning of the trouble. "Tessa, you think you and Aunt Emily can go to the cafeteria and grab something to eat?"

Tessa looks up hopefully at Emily, but frowns when she sees the frown on the older woman's face.

"The cafeteria? Ewww," Emily winces. "I just got off duty. How about we go back to Windemere and see what Nikolas' cook can come up with. And if he's awake, we can see if Spencer wants to play with us."

"Ooh, Daddy, can I go with Aunt Emily? Please?" Tessa begs him. "I want to see the baby."

"Sure thing, Baby Girl. Be good, okay?" He looks over at Emily and silently mouths a thank you to her.

Emily just nods, realizing that something big is going on and that Tessa needed to be gone for them to get into it.

"I should probably be going too," Alexis says, grabbing her coat to follow Emily and Tessa out the door.

"It would be best for you to hear this too," Jason tells her, inviting her to stay longer. "I really would rather not have to tell this story again."

He looks over at Rodriguez and gives him a look letting him know that it's his show now.

"You're really going to make me say this?" he asks with a wince and a sigh. "All right. Just remember that I'm only the messenger. And I'm doing so at great risk to myself."

"I don't understand," Sam says, a confused look on her face. She looks up at Jason as he comes to perch on the side of her bed. She gets nervous when she feels the slight tremor in his hand when he clutches tightly to hers. "Jason, what's going on? Why is Cruz here?"

"When Dr. Lee figured out what happened to you, she had to call in the police to investigate," Jason starts gently, wanting to ease her into it.

"Tanya's not going to get into trouble, is she? She's been my nurse since I was pregnant with Lila. She's a great nurse and wouldn't have hurt me on purpose," Sam argues, looking directly at Cruz as if daring him to arrest her friend.

"Tanya was never our prime suspect," Cruz explains. "She gave a statement that pointed directly at someone. Unfortunately, that someone is now being protected by our acting DA."

"What do you mean?" Alexis asks. "Ric covered this up?"

Cruz nods and continues.

"He took all the evidence I had gathered and filed his own report naming the incident an unfortunate accident. No charges will be filed at all."

"And the suspect gets away?" Alexis is furious. "What is Ric thinking? Did you at least get to question the person?"

"She was gone by the time I got there. And I was given strict orders by DA Lansing to let this go or else risk my job. But I secretly made copies of everything before I handed it over. So I'll definitely be toast if anyone finds out."

Cruz gives Alexis his folder of evidence and lets her go through it. As far as he's concerned, his work here is done. The rest of the news is Jason's to deliver.

"Who is Ric trying to protect? I don't get it," Sam says, still confused by what's going on. But one look at Jason's face tells her all she needs to know.

"No," she gasps, shaking her head as realization sets in. "No, not her. Tell me, Jason. Tell me she didn't do this!"

"Sam, you need to calm down," he says gently, trying to soothe her even though he knows that she can't be soothed. Not from this.

"Jason!"

"It was Elizabeth," he admits. "They found her fingerprints on the bottles of medication that had been swapped. And your nurse mentioned in her statement bumping into someone who matches Elizabeth's description coming out of the supply closet as she was going in."

"And now she's gone," Cruz adds. "She took off with Cameron and is nowhere to be found here in Port Charles. We think Ric warned her and helped her get away."

"So she gets away? She kills my baby and nearly kills me and she gets away with it?" Sam shrieks.

"Not if we can find her," Jason promises her.

"And then what, Jason? What exactly is going to happen if you find her? Are you going to kill her? Avenge me and the child we lost? I don't think so. She's pregnant with your baby. Don't tell me that means nothing!"

"Sam . . ."

"No!" she screams, pushing at him. "Don't touch me. Just get out of here and leave me alone."

"Don't do this, Sam," he pleads.

"Just go," she yells again. "Just leave me and my barren womb and go find the woman who's about to give you a family. She certainly worked hard enough for it. She wanted me out the way, Jason. Looks like she accomplished her goal."

Jason just shakes his head and walks towards the door. He opens it and gives apologetic looks to Alexis and Cruz who get the hint and leave. He closes the door behind them and walks over to the other side of the room.

"I'm not leaving," is all he says before turning to face out the window. "And you're not going anywhere, either."

"What do you expect from me?" she cries. "That woman killed my baby. And she gets to run around free and clear with your baby still growing inside of her. How is that fair?"

"It isn't fair!" he yells before attempting to calm himself down. But it doesn't work. He can't hold it in any longer. "There's nothing fair about this, Sam. It wasn't fair when you got shot right in my arms. It's not fair that I still have to fight off the nightmares of that moment, feeling you go limp in my arms. Feeling the very life draining out of you."

He has to literally give himself a shake as the image comes unbidden to his mind, her skin so pale it practically glowed in the moonlight that night. He's never been so sure of anything than he had been of the fact that had she died that night, he would have been right behind her.

"It wasn't fair how your mother came to me when I've never been more afraid of losing you in my life and convinced me that giving you up would save your life," he sighs sadly as he begins to wind down. "It wasn't fair how I kept on pushing you away no matter how many times you begged me to reconsider, only for me to end up in bed with another woman. One night that has changed my life forever. One night I would give anything for it to have never happened."

"Jason," she whispers, shaking her head. The last of her anger evaporates as she finally sees the effects last summer had on him. "I . . ."

"No," he interrupts her. "It's not you, Sam. It never has been. It was me. You deserve to be angry, _especially_ at me. I've caused you to lose everything. Maybe I _should_ just go . . . but I won't. I can't. I'm too selfish to let you go again, even if it means you'd be better off."

With tears streaming down her face, she looks up into his equally teary eyes. She holds out her arms to him, sighing in relief when he comes to her, grabbing her and holding onto her with everything that's in him.

"Sam, I'm so sorry," he sobs, the foreign sound of his soul wrenching grief ripping a whole through her heart.

She can't do anything more than cry along with him.

- - -

Elizabeth looks around at her new surroundings with a frown. There's nothing really _wrong_ with the place, it just isn't home. And home to her is the house Jason gave her to move into. She had spent the past few months picturing the four of them living there as a family. She was certain he'd come around once the new baby arrived.

This new place will take some getting used to. Her new life will take some getting used to. She never expected to live without Jason. And she never expected to have to start her life over. But after what happened at the hospital, she didn't really have a choice. Not one that would ensure her living a long life with her children, that is. It was only a matter of time before Jason found out about her part in Sam's miscarriage. And once he found out, it's no telling what he would have done to her. Running was her only option.

She's not yet sure why she let Ric help her. Desperate times calls for desperate measures, she supposes. And she'll admit that she was pretty desperate to get away at the time. She panicked. In the wake of learning she was responsible for Sam's miscarriage, she simply panicked. Now that she's had some time to think, though, she wonders if her actions were too hasty. She wonders if maybe she should have just left town on her own for awhile. There's no way Jason could be mad at her forever. Not while she's the mother of his child. And for that same reason, there's no way he'd kill her.

But now, she's stuck following Ric's plan. And she can't help but wonder if the price she'll have to pay will end up costing more than she ever imagined.

"What do you think of the place?" Ric asks her.

"Nice," she smiles. "I think Cam will like it here for a little while. But he's going to miss home soon. He loved that place Jason got for us."

"I'm trying to work things out so you won't have to stay gone for too long. I know you have friends and family back in Port Charles. It's not fair for you to have leave them out of fear for your life."

"I was afraid," she admits. "But I've been thinking that maybe things aren't as bad as I thought they were. I'm sure Jason is very angry right now, but he'll settle down. I've known him a long time, Ric. He wouldn't hurt me."

"You killed his child, Elizabeth," Ric reminds her.

She winces when he puts it so bluntly.

"Don't say it that way," she pleads with him. "You make me sound like some cold hearted murderer or something. Sam was barely even pregnant."

"And you think that makes it okay? That Jason will so easily forgive you for almost killing his wife?"

"I wasn't trying to kill . . ." Her mouth drops open when she realizes what he just said. "His what?"

"They're married now," Ric tells her. "Have been for a few months now."

"He married her? How could he do this to me?"

Ric walks over and lays a comforting hand on Elizabeth's shoulder.

"Listen, Elizabeth. I know you. I know you didn't have any intention of killing or harming Sam. That's why I made sure you wouldn't get charged with anything. The official report lists the incident as an accident, with the mistake being made with the bottles before they reached the hospital. No one at GH will take the blame, especially not you."

"What about the fingerprints Detective Rodriguez said were found on the bottles. They're going to match mine."

"You leave Rodriguez to me. I've handled him," Ric assures her. "And if he's any trouble, I have ways of neutralizing him. Trust me, Elizabeth. You won't be charged for this. There's no more evidence that links you to this."

"Then why did I have to run? You could have told me this when you came to my house."

"Because you're not running from the law. You're running from Jason's wrath."

"Oh yeah," she sighs. "I take it he's pretty upset about what happened."

"I heard he hasn't left Sam's side. If you're expecting him to leave her now after this, you're mistaken. And now that they're married, what do you think he's going to do as far as custody of this baby is concerned?"

"You don't think he'd . . ." She puts a protective hand over her belly, shaking her head in disbelief. "He wouldn't. He swore to me he'd never take this baby from me."

"I'm just telling it to you as I see it, Elizabeth. He's gotten himself a wife and a foster child to round out the happy little family scenario. Who do you think a judge is going to side with in this case? A woman who had an extramarital affair and whose husband left her when the truth of the baby's paternity came out? A woman already struggling to raise one child on her own, having to work every day? Or a happily married, financially sound man already making a good home for a happy and well adjusted child? Whose wife is the perfect stay at home mother?"

"Sam's hardly perfect," Elizabeth says, rolling her eyes.

"Maybe not. But in the eyes of family court, Jason, Sam, and that little brat they've hired make them a perfect family. And if he even hints at your involvement in Sam's miscarriage, even if it can't be proven, your case is lost."

Ric can see the fear in her eyes. He's sorry he had to put it there, but he saw no other way. She has way too much faith in Jason. It surprises him that she seriously believes the two of them could have worked things out, despite the baby. Ric worked too hard destroying Lucky in her eyes only to have her turn to Jason. He's ready to reap the benefits of his plan. All she needs is one last push.

"Listen, I'm sorry to get you all upset. I'll go and let you get settled. You'll be safe here for awhile. There's plenty of food in the kitchen and the backyard is big and private enough for you and Cameron to go out there as much as you want. Jason shouldn't be able to find you here."

"You're leaving?"

"I need to get back to Port Charles tonight. I have things I need to do. I'm working on getting my divorce from Alexis finalized. I'll have my own custody issues to deal with soon enough."

"You're trying to get custody of Molly?" Elizabeth asks, her curiosity suddenly piqued. "Without a wife, you'll probably be in the same boat as me, right?"

"Well, my case will probably be different. With Alexis so sick and Kristina still traumatized, I can make a case for her simply not having enough time and strength to properly care for a small child," he explains.

"But even still, if you were married again, to a woman capable of taking care of Molly, a woman who had children of her own, then you'd have a stronger case, wouldn't you?"

Ric nearly smiles at the desperation in her voice, but he managed to control his mirth. He can't believe how easy it was to play her right into his hands. He thought he'd have to slowly bring her around to the idea of them getting married again. He never thought she'd suggest it herself. Especially not so quickly.

"It probably would help," he shrugs nonchalantly. He decides to feign ignorance at what she's about to suggest "But it's not going happen, so why even think about it?"

He gets his coat and walks toward the door.

"Call me on my cell if you need anything. I'll make sure you get it as quickly as possible."

He barely gets his hand on the doorknob before she's calling him back.

"Ric, wait!"

He hides his smug grin before turning around to face her again.

"Is there something else you needed? I wanted to get back before the weather got too bad. You remember how much I hate driving in the snow."

"I know. I'm sorry," she apologizes, nervously wringing her hands. "I just want to . . . "

"What? Are you okay?" he asks as he tenderly strokes her cheek. "Elizabeth, you know I'll do whatever is in my power to help you. You just have to tell me what you need."

She takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly, trying to gather her courage before she changes her mind about this.

"I need you to marry me."

To be continued . . .


	15. Chapter 15

IN THE MIDST OF IT ALL  
Chapter 15

* * *

Sam wakes up aching for Jason. Somehow she knew he wouldn't be there. Yesterday was too intense. She's never seen him grieve that deeply, even when they thought Michael was dead. It's like a part of him never really believed he would never see the boy again. And he was right. Michael turned out to be alive and through sheer will alone, Jason found him.

But when there's nothing left to find, nothing left to do, nothing left to save, it is then that he becomes lost and flailing. Helpless. And a helpless Jason cannot survive. Sam knows him well enough for that. She knows him well enough to know why he's gone. This situation has left him feeling lost and ashamed. He feels he's let her down. And nothing she can say will change that.

"You're looking pretty calm for a woman who just nearly got murdered."

Sam turns a slightly amused eye to the door as Carly steps inside. She's taken a real liking to the woman in the past few months. She can see now why Jason can't get rid of her. She can see now why he doesn't want to get rid of her. Carly just has a . . . way about her. And once you accept her quirkiness, you can't help but love her.

She'd never tell Carly that, of course. It wouldn't do to disrupt the status quo. So they pretend to still hate each other.

"Who said anything about murder?" Sam asks, pushing herself up in the bed.

Carly reaches out a hand to help her, both women pretending that the kind gesture doesn't mean anything. She fluffs the pillows behind Sam and helps her get settled before sitting in the chair next to the bed.

"I knew Elizabeth was desperate for Jason, but I never thought she'd take you out to get to him. That was pretty gutsy of her. Too bad I never thought of it," Carly teases her.

"As you can see, it didn't work out as she planned," Sam shoots right back. "And now, she's made an enemy out of me."

"And Jason. And Sonny. And me," she adds quietly after a moment or two. "She's ticked off everyone who cares about you, Sam."

Sam has to look away before she ended up in tears again.

"I'm still having a hard time believing what happened. And that Ric would cover for her," Sam says, shaking her head. "It's just crazy."

"If she's hooked up with Ric, she'll get what's coming to her," Carly assures her. "That man is about as sick as they come. Probably worse than you could imagine because he can pass so easily for normal. But there's a madness there that he can only contain for so long."

"You've had a tough history with him, haven't you?"

"I don't admit this a lot, Sam. But he scares me to death. He's captured me and violated me one too many times for me not to be afraid of him. And he always gets away with what he's done."

Carly stands and walks towards the window, staring aimlessly out.

"Did you know he drugged me once? And then he arranged it so that we'd wake up in bed together the next morning. And he let me believe we had sex. When I turned up pregnant with Morgan, I worried for weeks that he could have been the father. All because he wanted to stick it to Sonny. He let me spend all that time thinking I had been raped, because I know there's no way I would have willingly slept with him."

"I guess some of us aren't that wise," Sam says quietly, looking down in shame at her hands. "I was so stupid. I just wanted to hurt everyone. Even myself, I guess. That's the only reason I can come up with to this day to explain why I would do what I did."

"You don't remember?" Carly asks suspiciously.

"I do. That's the thing. I remember too well, sometimes. I still have nightmares," Sam says, her voice hitching slightly. "But in my dreams, I always tell him no. And push him away. But he just keeps on coming at me until he . . ."

Sam squeezes her eyes shut and runs through the mental exercises Lainey taught her during their sessions. She stops the visions of the imagined violent attack, but she can't stop the shudder of revulsion at the memory of him touching her.

"You had been drinking, right?"

"A lot. I was so hurt and I drank so much. And I just kept drinking and drinking. I honestly don't know how I was still conscious. One minute I was crying to Ric about something, the next I know, we were all over each other."

"You have any after effects? Nausea? Dizziness? Disorientation?"

"Carly, I was drunk. Of course I had all of that. Mostly the nausea, though. Between all the alcohol and the realization of what I had done, I was violently ill the next morning."

"Yeah, but . . ."

"But what, Carly? I don't like talking about this or even thinking about it. Can we please stop?" she begs tearfully.

"Yeah," Carly sighs, seeing the stress on Sam's face. "Of course. I'm sorry."

"What's going on in here?"

Sam gasps from the shock of hearing Jason's voice.

"You're still here."

He gave Sam a look and saw that seeing him was truly the last thing she expected.

"I told you I wasn't leaving you ever again," he says, leaning over to press a kiss to her forehead. "Are you all right? It looks like you've been crying."

"I upset her," Carly admits. "I was telling her some of my own horror stories involving Ric. I must have gotten carried away. But now that you're here, Jason, I think I'm just going to go now. You want to walk me to the elevators?"

"Um, okay," he says, kind of confused at her request since the elevators were just down the hall. "I'll be right back, Sam."

He walks Carly outside and the woman quickly pulls him down the hall.

"What's up, Carly?"

"Something's not right about Ric," she says quietly, not wanting anyone to overhear.

"We know that already, Carly," he shrugs. "We've known that since he first showed up in town."

"No, I mean there's something really not right. I think he might have drugged Sam that night they slept together."

"What?"

"There's just too much about her story that matches up with my experience with him, Jason. There's too much she doesn't remember about what actually happened and her dreams are too telling."

"She was angry and hurt. And drinking a lot," Jason explains.

"Yeah, so much so that she admits she should have been passed out. But she wasn't, Jason. If he gave her some sort of stimulant to keep her awake and aware and aroused," she says as he winces, apparently not wanting to talk about that night either.

"Let's not go there," he says, fighting the temptation to plug his ears with his fingers. He really doesn't want to talk about this.

"Just think about it, Jason, okay? Because even I can see this is still tearing Sam up. After all that's happened, I think she at least deserves some peace of mind for that situation."

He just nods, not saying anything when she gets on the elevator. But as the doors close, she can see that her words have made an impact. Maybe now the two of them can finally start putting everything behind them. As much as she would have hated to admit it a year before, she'll admit now that they deserve it. They've been through too much and deserve to finally just enjoy each other.

She just has a bad feeling that Ric started this whole mess. And the feeling is even worse that he's not done yet. Not by a long shot.

- - -

"Where did you go earlier?" Sam asks Jason when he returns to the room. "I thought . . . I don't know. Things had gotten really intense. I thought you needed some time."

"Time away from you?"

She just shrugs.

"Wouldn't be the first time. I told you before, Jason. I don't expect guys to stick with me. I'm a walking black cloud. I just bring nothing but doom and gloom."

"I bring my own share of doom and gloom to this relationship," he reminds her. "But knowing that you're there with me makes everything brighter. I love you, Sam. And you're not going to be able to get rid of me."

She looks up and gives him a shy smile.

"I'm not trying to get rid of you. I think I just might like you a little," she teases him.

"Only a little? I guess I'm not doing something right, then."

He leans over and kisses her the way he hasn't been able to kiss her in days. She reaches up and grabs his shirt, pulling him down on the bed with her.

"Sorry," he gasps when he lands on her. "Are you okay?"

"Much better with you here," she says, planting a row of kisses along his jawline. "I missed this so much. Just being loved by you. Being held by you."

"Keep that up and I'll be tempted to do a lot more than just 'holding' you," he moans, stopping her wandering hands from venturing any lower on his body.

He takes both her hands and pins them over her head before attacking her mouth again with some hot kisses that leave shuddering with pleasure. And groaning in pain.

"What is it?" he asks, panicking as she pushes him off of her while she tries to catch her breath.

"Nothing," she pants as the pain diminishes. "Just a twinge, that's all."

She tries to stop him, before she can say anything, he's out the door and down the hall, calling for a doctor. Several minutes later, he returns with Dr. Lee in tow.

"Then she was in pain and I came to get you," she hears him say, assuming he had just explained what happened to the doctor, probably with embarrassingly explicit details.

"I'm fine," Sam swears. "I was trying to tell him that, but he ran out of here so quickly."

"Probably just some residual cramping," Dr. Lee suggests. "But I think I'd like to check you out anyway. And if things look good, I'll probably be releasing you today."

"So soon?" Jason blanches, his mind flashing back to all the blood he knows she lost. "Is she really okay to be released?"

"You apparently seemed to think I was okay 10 minutes ago," Sam teases him, making Dr. Lee laugh at the cute way his ears turn red.

"I'll be outside," he says, shaking his head at how easily she can embarrass him.

"You should leave him alone. He's one of the good ones," Dr. Lee sighs. "You're lucky to have him."

"I love him more than anything. And I really wanted to give him his first child. Doesn't look like that's going to be happening any time soon, though."

"We can check in a few months to see how much of the birth control is still in your system," Dr. Lee offers. "I never said you wouldn't be able to get pregnant again, Sam. Just probably not in the next few months. Could be as little as two or as much as eight. But don't give up hope."

"It's not hope I'm lacking. It's courage. Dr. Lee, I've had two traumatic pregnancy related events. They scare me, but I'd do anything for a child. It's Jason, I'm worried about. I don't know how either of us could handle anything like this happening again. It's probably for the best that I can't get pregnant again so soon."

"I think it's wise to wait a little while to be sure you heal from the miscarriage. But don't let fear get the better of you, Sam," Dr. Lee says. "Just relax and let nature take its course."

"Right," Sam nods. "It'll happen if it's meant to be. And if not . . ."

Sam just shrugs.

Dr. Lee doesn't know what else to say, so she goes on with the examination.

"Everything is looking good. You're blood pressure is stable. Your blood count is almost back up to normal. I'm going to prescribe some iron, though, because you are slightly anemic."

"Thanks, Dr. Lee. For everything," Sam says.

Dr. Lee nods in acceptance.

"I'll send Jason back in," she says before leaving. She keeps the smile pasted on until she's out of Sam's sight.

"What's wrong?" Jason asks, immediately worried by the look on her face.

"Physically Sam is doing well. But this has taken an emotional toll on her. So be careful with her, okay? Is she still seeing Dr. Winters?"

"She missed this week's appointment because of what happened, but yeah."

"Good. I'll see if she can drop by to see Sam. Other than that, I don't see any reason to keep her. So after she sees Dr. Winters, I'll have her release papers ready."

"Thanks again," he says, reaching out a hand to shake hers.

"Just take care of my patient."

Jason walks back into the room, a big smile on his face.

"Looks like you'll be going home today. Dr. Lee just wants Lainey to stop by here for a few minutes."

"She thinks I'm crazy, huh?" Sam jokes. "I'm not, Jason. I've just come to accept that a baby just might not be in the cards for us. I'm okay with that. We should focus on Tessa for now. And then help her adjust to the idea of Elizabeth's baby before we try to push another one off on her."

The tension comes off of Jason in waves. Sam reaches over to grab his hand.

"I really am okay, Jason. Things happen. I've had to roll with the punches all my life. I've had to get used to disappointment and to accept things I can't change. And as much as I hate what's happened, there's nothing I can do. Elizabeth nearly murders me, she kills my child, but what can I do? I can't ask you to kill her. I can't deny the fact that she's having your child. And even if I did, none of that would bring back my baby. So I have to deal with it. I have to accept that she gets away with this. And learn how to better stay out of her way."

"Sam," he starts to apologize.

"Don't, Jason. I know this is hurting you as much as it's hurting me. I know that you want her punished as much as I do. But the fact of the matter is, nothing can be done. Even if we still could take legal action against her, what good would it have done? Would she have lost her job? Gone to jail? What about Cameron and that baby? They'd be without a mother. I know what that's like and I can't do that to them. Neither can you."

"So you're saying we just let this go? Just forgive her for what she did?"

"No," Sam shakes her head. "I don't think I will ever forgive her. But in time, I'm hoping to be able to put aside the hate and the anger for your baby's sake. That innocent child had nothing to do with this. He or she is going to be a part of our family, Jason. I refuse to let that child feel unwanted. I know what that's like, too."

"You are so amazing," he says, taking her hand in his own and pressing a kiss there. "And you're so much stronger than what you give yourself credit for. Elizabeth seriously misjudged you if she ever thought she could scare you away."

"She's the one afraid. She's afraid of being alone. Sure she may have her baby, but it's you she wants to go along with that package. But she's never getting you. And now, we have some leverage to use against her so she won't ever be able to take the baby from you."

"Ooh, and you're smart, too," Jason nods with a smile. "I hadn't thought of that. I couldn't get past the overwhelming urge to want to hurt her. But you're right. Now maybe we can finally get her to drop this ridiculous custody case. Not when there's no way she can win."

- - -

She has to run to catch the phone. She almost let the machine pick up, but in the end, she's glad she caught it.

"Hello?"

"Elizabeth, I've thought about your offer," Ric says into the phone, carefully measuring his words. "And I've decided to take you up on it."

She lets out a relieved sigh and rests her hand on her swollen belly.

"You mean it?"

"You're right. It would only help both our custody cases if we were married. Just be sure, Elizabeth. Be sure this is what you really want. I don't want to pressure you."

This isn't at all what she wants. What she wants is Jason. But with him being married to Sam now, and probably working on a strategy now to take her child away, she has to do whatever she can to protect herself and her children. And right now, that would be to marry Ric.

"I'm sure," she says steadily. "This is what I want."

Until Jason changes his mind about Sam, she adds silently. Until she can make him realize that Sam isn't the woman for him.

To be continued . . .


	16. Chapter 16

IN THE MIDST OF IT ALL  
Chapter 16

* * *

"Jason, you should see the cutest things I got for the baby," Sam says, as she walks into the penthouse, tossing her keys onto the desk. "I know we don't know if it's a boy or a girl yet, but . . ."

She trails off when she sees the woman sitting on the couch next to him.

"Where's Tessa?" Jason asks.

"She's across the hall. She wanted to model her new boots for Gia and Cruz," Sam answers, wondering about their guest. "They'll walk her over in a few minutes."

"Okay," he nods, then looks at the woman next to him. "Sam, this is Claudia Waters from Child Protective Services. She's the director of the place where we got Tessa. She's here to . . ."

"You can't take her," Sam panics, her skin turning nearly shock white as all the blood immediately drains from her head. "You promised we could adopt her."

"No, Mrs. Morgan. That's not why I'm here," Ms. Waters assures her. She goes over to a still shaky Sam and leads her to the spot on the couch she previously occupied. "Sit down, Child. We can't have you passing out on us. Your husband said you just got out of the hospital."

Sam just nods and takes a glass of water from Jason.

"About a week ago," Sam tells her, taking a sip of her water. "Why are you here?"

"Because someone is trying to make trouble for the two of you," she explains. "I've been beyond pleased with the reports from the previous home visits my workers have had with you and Tessa. Tessa is happy here. She knows she's well loved and we all can see that she's well loved. But, there was an accusation by a high city official that perhaps my officers were allowing themselves to be bought off by Mr. Morgan."

"A high city official?" Sam asks, before realization hits. "The DA. Ric Lansing."

"You know him?"

"All too well, unfortunately," Sam sighs. "He was married to my mother until recently. He's my little sister's father."

"He doesn't appear to be too fond of this petition to adopt Tessa and has ordered us to do a full scale investigation into Tessa's past and the reasons for her placement in the system. Ordinarily, we would just take the easy route and recall the child if there's any hint of any kind of scandal rather than agree to these scare tactics. But I like the two of you. And it would be a shame for Tessa to lose the best home she's ever had. So we went ahead with the investigation. We discovered something rather disturbing."

"Like what?" Sam asks, reaching over to grab Jason's hand.

"As it turns out, Tessa's mother was a prostitute. She would sell herself for drugs. Tessa came to us when one day, her mother sold her to one of her johns."

Sam gasps and lifts a hand to her mouth.

"She was abused?" Jason asks.

"Not that we could ascertain. Tessa has a strong sense of self preservation. She didn't like what was going on. And she told us that she ran before anyone could touch her. She just kept on running until a policeman found her. When he took her home and saw her situation, she was placed in the system. No matter how much assistance and therapy we've offered, the mother hasn't done anything to try to get her life, or her child, back. Or rather, children, I should say."

"Children?"

"Tessa has a younger brother. He was born addicted to crack and tossed into the garbage a few weeks later. Until this investigation, we never even realized they were siblings."

"How could something like this have happened?" Sam asks. But she doesn't get an answer.

Just then, the door opens and Tessa flies inside, running straight to Jason.

"Look at my new boots, Daddy," she screeches before finally noticing Ms. Waters on the chair and letting out an even louder scream.

"Tessa, Sweetie. Calm down," Sam says as Jason scoops the girl protectively into his arms, casting a suspicious glare at the woman.

"What's wrong, Tessa. Talk to me, Baby Girl."

"I don't want to go back," she sobs into his shoulder. "Don't send me back. Please. I'll be better. I promise. I'll be a good girl."

"Tessa, Baby," Sam sighs, tears forming in her eyes. "We're not sending you back. You're ours now. We told you that, remember?"

She just nods, wiping at her moist cheeks.

"I don't have to go back?"

She waits until each adult in the room answers before she finally believes it. But she still maintains a deathly tight grip on Jason. She's not willing to let him go.

"You okay now, Tessa?" Ms. Waters asks gently. "I just want to ask a few questions for my report and then I'll leave you with your family, okay?"

Tessa nods again.

"Do you remember a long time ago before you came to live at the center with us? When you lived with your mommy? And the baby?"

"Mommy threw him away," Tessa pouts. "She said he cried too much and that his skin was too brown. But I thought it was pretty. It was the same color as Gia's skin and it was really soft. I went to dig him out one day when she was with one of those other men, but I couldn't find him."

"Would you like it if we found him, Tessa?"

"Could he come live here with us?" she asks excitedly before turning to Jason. "Please, Daddy?"

"Don't look at me like that, little girl," he mutters, looking over her head at an amused Sam. "What?"

"Nothing. She knows just what buttons to push with you," Sam laughs. She knows already what Jason's answer will be. What his little princess wants, his little princess gets.

"Where is her brother?" Jason asks Ms. Waters.

"Ironically, he's at the same place you got Tessa. But because of his medical condition when we found him, he was placed with the special needs children and has been there ever since.

"Special needs? Does he have problems that we'll have to . . ." Sam bites her lip when she realizes what she said. "I mean, that need to be addressed?"

Before Ms. Waters can answer, Jason sets Tessa on the floor and sends her upstairs.

"Tessa, I don't think Ms. Waters has seen your new room. Why don't you go up and show her. I think she'd like that."

"I really would," Ms. Waters says, sensing that Jason wants to talk to Sam alone. She takes the little girl's hand and goes upstairs with her.

"You okay?"

"I don't know," she shrugs. "Jason, that poor little boy. His mother dumps him because he's not white like her and Tessa? How insane is that? How could any mother leave her child? Especially one who could be special."

"You thinking about what Evelyn did to Danny?"

"Jason, it broke my heart when I realized she had him locked in that basement. No one should have to live that way. No one should have to feel as if they don't deserve love just because they're different."

"You want to bring this baby home, don't you?" Jason says, hiding a smirk.

"It would be nice for Tessa to have her brother here," Sam points out.

"You're already planning for how we'd take care of a special needs child."

"Okay, so maybe I am," she admits. "I have the experience, though, taking care of Danny for so many years."

"But this is a baby, Sam."

"Not quite a baby," Ms. Waters says as she comes down the stairs. "He's nearly two years old now. Cute as a button, if I do say so myself."

She walks to the briefcase she left by the couch and pulls out a photo to show them.

"He _is_ beautiful," Sam gushes, showing the picture to Jason. "Look at those eyes. And those long lashes."

Although she doesn't admit it, she can already picture holding him in her arms. She can already imagine him and Jason in the park tossing around a ball. Or trying to train a stubborn puppy to fetch. She can see them all living life. Living as a family.

"You think we could meet him?" Jason asks, his gaze also lingering on the picture of the child. He can see so much of Tessa in him that he can't help but feel a twinge of something in his heart for the boy. "Let him get used to us first?"

"I think that can be arranged," Ms. Waters smiles. She's finding herself liking this couple more and more with each passing minute. "I'll bring him by in the morning, if that's all right."

"Perfect," Sam smiles, walking the woman to the door.

"One more thing," Ms. Waters says. "Be careful with the DA. I'm going to give as unbiased a report as I possibly can. But something tells me he's not going to be satisfied until he gets what he wants from the two of you. I don't know what that is, but it seems to be important. And he seems to be going after you full force."

"Thanks for the warning," Jason says.

Ms. Waters leaves. Jason closes the door behind her and lets out a sigh.

"What do you think Ric is up to?" Sam asks quietly.

It kills him that he can hear fear in her voice. He pulls her into his arms for a comforting hug.

"I don't know," he says honestly. "Ric is always up to something, but this time, I have a pretty bad feeling. Especially if he's involving the kids."

"Are we making a mistake in bringing home Tessa's little brother?" she asks tearfully. "Should we just leave the kids out of this? What if Ric tries to hurt them?"

"He knows about them already. So they're going to be safest here with us," Jason assures her. "Ric knows how dangerous it is to go after a man's family. He's crazy, but I don't think he's crazy enough to mess with my kids."

At least, he better not, Jason amends silently. Because this time, brother to Sonny or not, Jason will kill him.

- - -

She fusses with her dress, realizing with a sigh that there's no way she's going to not look pregnant. So she leaves it alone and walks into the judge's office.

"Elizabeth, you look lovely," Ric says with a smile, holding his hand out to her. "Let's get started, shall we?"

Elizabeth is a little surprised at the enthusiasm gleaming in Ric's eyes. She had to all but pull his teeth to get him to agree to this marriage of convenience. But now, he suddenly seems thrilled beyond belief. He seems as if this was his whole plan all along.

"Are you okay?" he asks her when he notices the slight frown on her face.

"Fine," she says, forcing those thoughts out of her head. She has ulterior motives for the marriage as well. So she can hardly judge him for his own. "I'm ready."

"Very well," the judge says with a smile. "I see that the paperwork for both of your divorces is in order. Let's get you two married."

The ceremony was short and simple. Very formal. Almost cold, Elizabeth realizes. Which is probably a good thing. She really has no feelings for Ric anymore. And when the time is right, she should be able to easily get an annulment.

"Congratulations," the judge who just married them says, a chilling smile on his face that disturbs her more than she'd care to admit. "I hope this marriage brings you both exactly what you deserve."

"Thanks," she says, though not really sure it was meant as a compliment. A twinge in her side takes her breath away for a second.

"Are you all right, Elizabeth?"

"I'm fine. I've just been having these Braxton Hicks contractions for about two weeks now," she explains. "That's letting me know it's about that time. Just six more weeks to go."

"Maybe you should get back to the house and rest a while," Ric suggests. "I can have the car take you back. I have a few things to discuss with the judge and then I'll meet you there."

"Okay," she eagerly agrees, not wanting to be around the creepy judge for any longer. "I'll see you later."

Ric and the judge watch her walk away before closing themselves in the judge's chambers.

"Fine looking woman," the judge notes. "I still don't know how you let her get away the first time."

"Cool it, Randy. That's my wife you're talking about. At least for the moment."

"For the moment," Randy laughs, rolling his eyes. "You never change, Lansing. What's the scheme this time?"

"No scheme. No game. In fact, she's the one who begged me to marry her. We'll just both happen the benefit from the arrangement. Or so she'll think."

"I don't know why you want a kid anyway," his old friend scoffs. "I'd figure you had enough of playing daddy already. And once you get the kid, what are you going to do with her? Or is that why you married Elizabeth?"

"I came to Port Charles with practically nothing. Sure, I had money, but no fame. No power. In a matter of years, I managed to work my way into the position as District Attorney. My next stop is mayor. After that, governor. To reach those goals, I need the image of a family man. I need to be a devoted husband and father."

"Governor could be years down the road. You really think Elizabeth is going to stick around for that long?"

"I won't need her for that long. In fact, she's going to be more of a help to me than she realized. She's going to help me bust the biggest crime ring in Port Charles. And after I take down my brother and his lackey, that job of mayor is all but mine," Ric gloats.

"You've been trying for years to take your brother down. What makes you think now you'll be successful?"

"Because now, I plan on getting them for cold blooded murder."

"Again, they've committed plenty of murders in the past. What's going to be so different about this time."

"It's not the what, but the who," Ric grins. "This time, they're going to be caught red handed and prosecuted fully for the murder . . . of my new wife."

To be continued . . .


	17. Chapter 17

IN THE MIDST OF IT ALL  
Chapter 17

* * *

"Daddy!"

Jason braces himself as he walks through the door for Tessa's attack. He'd only been gone for two days, but Sam warned him how much the girl had missed him.

"You're home!" she screeches as she launches herself into his arms. "Look, TJ. It's Daddy."

Trent runs over with a big smile on his face and grabs onto Jason's leg. Jason let's Tessa wiggle out of his arms and then bends down to pick up the little boy.

"Hey, there Big Guy. Are you going to say hello, too?"

Jason waits in patiently for even a peep from the child, but doesn't get it.

"It's only been three weeks since we've had him," Sam reminds him. "I'm sure he'll talk soon."

Ms. Waters warned them that the baby could have problems from being born addicted to crack. But other than the fact that he doesn't talk, he seems fine. At first, he was a little gun shy at being held. He seemed perfectly content to just sit in his play pen all day and entertain himself. But day by day, he got more and more used to the attention and the affection Sam and Jason gave him. He started responding with smiles and actually reaching for them. One day, they swore he almost laughed at Carly. He seems to have taken a real liking to her.

"He'll be fine," Jason nods. "He's able to communicate what he wants with us, so that's good."

"It broke my heart when he first got here how would just give us those silent tears whenever he needed something. It's like he didn't expect to get it, so he'd just sit there and suffer in silence."

"He has us now," Jason says, kissing the baby on the cheek and earning a contented sigh in return.

Just then, something catches Jason's attention and he doesn't realize how he missed it when he first walked in.

"What's that?" he asks, sniffing the air. "It smells almost . . . edible."

"Ha ha," she says, rolling her eyes at him. "As a matter of fact, I _did_ cook. And yes, it is edible. The kids ate it and they haven't complained yet."

"Well, TJ doesn't really complain about anything," Jason teases.

"Oh, so you've got jokes, huh? Yeah, we'll see who's laughing last tonight when you're sleeping on the couch."

"You wouldn't do that," he says, grabbing her and pulling her into his arms. He lowers his mouth to her neck to suck ever so gently on the spot that drives her so crazy. "Because I can see that you missed me as much as I missed you."

"Maybe I missed you . . . a little," she admits when the feel of his warm tongue on her skin starts to send shivers up her spine.

"Only a little? Too bad," he says with a shrug, smiling at her whimper of protest when he lets her out of his embrace. "Because I planned on spending the _whole_ night showing you exactly how much I missed you."

"That was a low blow, mister," she says.

"Could have been. I guess we'll never find out with me on the couch tonight," he smirks.

She gasps and her cheeks flush bright red at his blatant innuendo and she's grateful the kids are too little to understand the sexy meaning behind his words.

"You are so bad," she says with a laugh. "But I have to admit, you've got my interest piqued."

"Baby, you more than that on me _piqued_." His leer this time can only be described as obscene.

And she can't believe how much it's turning her on.

"Jason! What has gotten into you?" At the look on his face, her eyes widen at the opening she just left him and quickly works to amend her words. "Forget I asked that! I'm going to put the kids down for a nap. Then I'll be back to put you down for one, too."

"I don't know. I think I'm going to be . . . _up_ for awhile."

He grins as she practically stumbles up the stairs with the kids. Oh yeah. He can guarantee there won't be any sleeping going on when she comes back downstairs.

He goes to the fireplace to light a fire, trying to set a romantic atmosphere despite all his lame come-ons. With the kids in the house, they can't really afford to get naked as the mood hits them anymore. But, he can work on her mood down by the fire for awhile before moving to a more suitable location.

"Still plan on making me sleep on the couch tonight?" he asks when he senses her presence on the stairs.

"How did you hear me? I was trying to sneak up on you."

"I felt you. I get this tingle in my heart whenever you're near. My mouth goes dry and my palms start to sweat. And your scent. It's so . . . spicy, I guess it's the best word. It's so sexy it drives me crazy. I usually can feel and smell you before I hear or see you. On a good day, it takes everything in me to keep my hands off of you. And right now," he says, pulling her down on the floor next to him. "I'm not in the mood to be good."

Before she can say anything, he covers her mouth in a hot kiss that leaves her trembling.

"Take me upstairs," she finally manages to utter when he moves on from her mouth and starts a line of kisses all the way down to her chest.

"Couch," he grunts as her own hands start to roam. "You said I had to sleep on the couch."

"Baby, take me upstairs and sleeping is the last thing we're going to be doing."

He almost laughs as her words echo his earlier thoughts. But without another moment's hesitation, he picks her up to comply with her demands. Halfway up the stairs, there's a knock at the door just before the guard pokes his head inside.

"You're two seconds from being fired," Jason growls at the guard.

"Sorry, Mr. Morgan, s-sir," the guard stutters, terrified at Jason's anger over what was obviously interrupted. "But she said it was a matter of life and death."

"She who? Can it wait? We were about to . . ."

"Tell her to come in, please." Sam interrupts him, wriggling out of his arms and attempting to straighten her clothes.

Jason squints his eyes at how polite she's being, wanting to do nothing more than what they were about to do. But when Gia walks in with a worried look on her face, he puts a lid on his libido, realizing that something's wrong.

"What's going on, Gia?" he asks her after the guard leaves them alone.

"I'm not really sure," she admits. "But I don't think it's good. And if you two don't get to the courthouse immediately, it could be even worse."

"The courthouse? Why? Does it have something to do with Jason and Elizabeth's custody case?"

"It's Ric," Gia explains. "He managed to get a judge to agree to a custody hearing about Molly."

"So soon? How could he do that? Did Alexis even know about this? Is she prepared?"

"I don't know what's going on, Sam," Gia shrugs. "I referred an attorney from my firm to handle her case when she was first notified, but they've barely had any time to do anything. Ric was able to get a hearing very quickly. Barely a week after Alexis was notified."

"I don't like this," Sam says, shaking her head. "You said we needed to be there. Why?"

"Listen, I know that you and Alexis can hardly be called the mother/daughter duo of the year, but it would help to have you there as support. Given your history with Ric, I don't think it would be wise to call you to testify, but it would mean a lot if you were there."

"Of course," Sam agrees. "I'll be right there."

"We both will," Jason adds.

After changing and calling Lulu to watch the kids, Jason and Sam make it to the courthouse in record time. When they get there, the proceedings have just begun. And they see that Alexis is not alone. Jax is there, along with Carly. Sonny's there next to Lainey Winters and Alexis' oncologist. Nikolas and Emily. All the people may not get along with each other, or even with Alexis all the time, but they know Molly would be better off with her than with Ric. And they'll band together to support her in this.

Jason and Sam find two seats right behind Alexis and let her know they've arrived. Sam puts a hand of comfort on her mother's shoulder and smiles when Alexis gives her a smile of gratitude.

"Look at Ric," Sam whispers to Jason. "He looks so smug as if he's got this all wrapped up."

"He's up to something," Jason agrees. "He wouldn't be doing this unless he was convinced that he'd win. I just don't know how he plans to accomplish that."

"Alexis Davis, Ric Lansing, please rise," the judge starts. He waits for them to comply before he continues. "Given the state of Ms. Davis's health, I've decided on a modified trial. The matter of Molly Lansing's custody will be decided today after I hear from both sides as to who they think the child should reside with."

A murmuring starts throughout the court room, but it's stopped almost immediately by the judge.

"I will hear no character witnesses, no damaging evidence against the other, or any of the usual tricks of the trade I know the two of you are so adept at," the just continues. "I will be the one asking the questions and based on your answers, that will be how I decide on custody. Miss Davis, let's begin with you."

"Yes, Your Honor," she says, casting a nervous glance at her lawyer.

"You've been diagnosed with lung cancer, is that right?"

"Yes, Your Honor. I'm currently in the midst of treatment and . . ."

"It leaves you sick, weak, helpless," the judge interrupts.

"Yes, that is correct."

"And in these times of sickness, weakness, and helplessness, who cares for your children?"

"Their nanny. But she doesn't do anymore than what she used to do. I still spend the same amount of time with the girls when I can. And when I can't, the girls spend time with family and close friends. My oldest daughter, Sam, spends a lot of time with Molly. She's married and has two foster children of her own."

"I'm aware of that," the judge nods, making notes in a file. "But I'm speaking about your personal involvement in the day to day care for your children. Has your cancer affected that in any way? Are you too sick on some days to even see them?"

"Your Honor, I don't believe they should see me like that," Alexis tries to explain.

"I see," he says, making more notes. "So you would recommend Molly remaining with you and being taken care of primarily by a nanny."

"With all due respect, Your Honor, Molly's father is a single, working man who would need to hire a nanny to care for Molly. My nanny has known the girls since they were babies and I feel it would be detrimental to not only separate the girls, but to place Molly in a new environment, away from her mother, and also away from the nanny she's loved all her life."

"Don't make any assumptions on what kind of care Mr. Lansing will provide for his child," the judge warns. "I'll be asking him that very same question to hear his answer for myself. My question is about you. Is the scenario I presented an accurate representation of your situation at home regarding the care for the child?"

"Yes, Your Honor," Alexis admits. "It would be just myself and the nanny who would take most of the responsibility for Molly's care when I'm too ill."

"Thank you, Miss Davis. You may be seated now. Mr. Lansing?"

Alexis practically wilts into her chair, suddenly not feeling very well. And it has nothing at all to do with her cancer.

"That didn't go very well, did it?" Sam asks Jason.

He just shakes his head and gives Sonny a look. Sonny nods slightly, given Jason silent permission before turning his attention back to the trial.

"I need to step outside for a second," Jason whispers to Sam, taking his cell phone out on his way to the door.

"What's going on, Sonny?" Sam wants to know.

"Plan B," is all he'll say, giving her a look that lets her know she shouldn't press it any further.

Despite the look, she's about to press it anyway, but Jason returns. Must have been a pretty quick phone call. She wonders who he just ordered to have killed, realizing that she wouldn't care if Ric turned up dead one day. She should be ashamed of her thoughts, but that man is nothing but trouble. And she fears he's just getting started.

"What's Plan B?" she asks when he sits back next to her.

"Not now, Sam," he says, shaking his head. "Let's just hear the rest of the case. We may not even need Plan B."

Sam turns her attention back to the questions the judge ask Ric. They're similar to the questions he asked Alexis. But Ric's answers are more surprising than even she thought they would be.

"Mr. Lansing, as a single man who works a full time, high stress job, what is your proposed plan of child care for your daughter?"

"That's the thing, Your Honor," Ric says with a victorious grin. "I'm not single. I won't be needing the full time services of a nanny the way my ex-wife does. My current wife will be taking care of the children."

"Children?"

"Yes, Molly will have a home now with a mother, a father, and siblings."

"Objection, Your Honor," Alexis yells, jumping up from her seat. "Up until a month ago, Mr. Lansing was married to me! Where did this alleged wife of his come from? And where is she now?"

"Silence, Ms. Davis, before I have you removed from this proceeding," the judge warns her. "Do I have to remind you again that this is my case? I'll ask the questions. And I'll do the objecting."

"Sorry, Your Honor." Alexis takes her seat again, but shoots a hateful glare in Ric's direction.

"Despite Ms. Davis being out of place, she raised good points. Where is this so called wife?"

Ric turns to the one person sitting on his side and gives a gesture. The man rises without question and walks out the door. Moments later he returns. But he's not alone.

"Your Honor, I present to you my wife: Elizabeth Webber Lansing."

To be continued . . .


	18. Chapter 18

IN THE MIDST OF IT ALL

Chapter 18

You could hear a pin drop in the court room. The silence was deafening. No one knew whether to gasp in shock, cringe in disgust or just laugh at the ridiculousness of it all. But deep down inside, they all knew they were about to witness a great injustice.

"Your Honor," Alexis jumps up again, but words fail her. For the first time, she doesn't even know what to say.

"Ms. Davis, do not make me remove you from this courtroom," the judge warns one last time. "You've had your say. Now it's Mr. Lansing's turn."

"But . . ."

The judge shoots a look that says he means what he says. But there's sympathy tossed in there as well. He was prepared for this. She wasn't. He can understand what she's feeling. But he can't do anything about it. He's here to render a judgment. One bought and paid for by the not so esteemed DA. It's a high price, but not as high as the judge is willing to pay should his own secret get out.

"Mr. Lansing, I assume you have proof to verify this union," the judge continues, pushing the pathetic image of Alexis out of his head.

"Yes, Your Honor." Ric takes copies of his divorce, Elizabeth's divorce, and their newest marriage license to the judge. "As you can see, everything is legal."

The judge examines the documents for anything. Anything so glaringly obvious that despite the deal he made with Ric, he'd have to rule against him. But the man has been thorough. The judge hates to admit that Ric wouldn't have even had to buy the judgment he's looking for.

"Everything looks to be in order," the judge nods. "This address listed here, is that your new residence?"

"Yes. Elizabeth and I have a new home with plenty of room for _all_ the children."

With that statement, he tosses a smug look over his shoulder right at Jason. Sam grabs Jason's hand when he clenches it tightly on the arm of the chair.

"Very well, then. I have no choice but to rule that full custody of Molly Lansing go to her father, Ric Lansing. Effective immediately."

"Your Honor," Alexis calls out one last time just before he strikes the gavel. "Immediately? Please. Can I have a few days with her to help her and Kristina adjust to the idea?"

"Your Honor, Molly is an infant. I'm her father and she knows I love her. That's all that matters in this case. Ms. Davis' other child is hardly my concern."

The judge gets the message loud and clear. Get it done now.

"I agree with Mr. Lansing," he says, trying not to say it through clenched teeth. "There's no need in delaying this. My ruling stands. The child will be removed immediately from the home of Ms. Davis and given to Mr. Lansing. Ms. Davis, you have until 6 pm to comply."

When his gavel finally strikes, he stands and all but bolts from the courtroom. Shutting himself in his chambers, he can't help the sick feeling in the pit of his stomach.

Out in the courtroom, chaos erupts. Nikolas and Emily cross over to where Elizabeth stands and tries to talk some sense into her. Sam, Jax, Lainey, and the oncologist go to where Alexis has dissolved into hysterical sobs, trying, without success, to console the woman.

No one notices the silent permission Sonny gives Jason. No one notices Jason pulling out a phone, dialing a number, letting it ring two times, then hanging up. It's the code the caller on the other end was waiting to receive. The only way to fight fire is with fire. And Jason and Sonny have just sent up a blaze in retaliation for what Ric just pulled. They can only hope that nobody on their side gets burned.

"Ric," Sonny says, walking up to his brother, making sure he has an airtight alibi. "Why are you doing this?"

"Don't start with me, Sonny. You did the same thing with Kristina."

"I never tried to take Kristina from Alexis. When I petitioned the court, I just wanted permission to be able to see my child. I would have gone for full custody if I had no other choice, but I never would have taken that baby from her mother."

"I'm doing what I have to do to protect my child. Her mother is barely well enough to care for her. And with you being such a big part of Kristina's life, I can't allow your world to touch Molly."

"That's a crock, Ric. And you know it," Sonny says, calling his bluff. "I'm not sure what this is about, but it has nothing to do with loving your child. And once your schemes are uncovered, Molly will be back where she belongs with her mother and her sister."

"I don't have to listen to this. I'm going to go get my child now and take her home with me. Where she _truly_ belongs." Ric grabs his briefcase and pushes past Sonny. He sneaks out the back entrance of the court house to avoid all the people who are there to rush to Alexis' defense.

"Look at him. Slinking out like the slimy snake he is," Sam mutters to Jason as she goes to stand by him. "I can't believe the judge gave him custody of Molly. Alexis is devastated."

"He won't get his hands on her," Jason whispers to her, making sure no one hears him.

She gives him a look, but a shake of his head lets her know not to push it right now.

"Plan B?" she asks.

He just nods and takes her hand, pulling her out the court room. In the hall, they run into Elizabeth in the middle of what looks like a heated argument between her and Nikolas.

"Stop this, you two," Emily begs. "This is not the place and definitely not the time. This isn't good for the baby."

"How can you stand there and defend her?" Nikolas angrily snaps at Emily. "I know you have no allegiance to Alexis and Molly. But what about that baby she's carrying? It's your niece or nephew. Your brother's child. Do you really think Ric is going to be so accommodating? Now that he's succeeded in stealing my aunt's child from her, what do you think they're going to try to do with Jason's?"

"Elizabeth? Is this true?" Emily asks, staring naively at her best friend. "You would allow Ric to use Jason's child against him?"

"It isn't like that," Elizabeth cries. "I'm only trying to protect myself and my child."

"From what?" Jason asks, his voice and face a stone cold block of ice. "Why would you feel that Sam or I would want to hurt you? Have you done something to make us feel that way?"

Elizabeth shivers at the cold look in his eyes. The man looks as if he has ice water flowing through his veins. And looks as if he'd like nothing more than to kill her, right where she stands.

"N-no reason," she stutters, backing way and instinctively covering her huge belly with her hands.

"No reason, huh? So why would you align yourself with Ric as so called protection from us?" Jason asks. "What do you need protection from? From me?"

"Jason, I . . ."

"Tried to kill my wife? Is that what you were about to say?"

"No!" she yells. "I swear, Jason. I wasn't trying . . ."

She stops abruptly, realizing what she was about to admit to.

"She almost died," Jason says. "And who knows how long it'll be now before we can start a family. Was that your plan? To stop Sam and I from having kids?"

"Just for awhile," Elizabeth admits. "I didn't want her trapping you in a loveless marriage by getting pregnant. She was just trying to keep you from being with me and our child, Jason. Can't you see that?"

"That's your excuse?" Sam screams, angry tears flowing down her face. "That was your excuse for killing the child I carried and for nearly killing me? For killing my dream of starting a family with the man and I love? The man who loves _me_? You think that makes what you did okay?"

"I wasn't trying to kill you. And I didn't know you were pregnant, Sam," Elizabeth swears. "But you're too unfair with Jason. Why can't you just leave him alone and let him choose for himself who he wants to be with."

"I did choose," Jason tells her. "I chose Sam. I love Sam. I want to be with Sam and start a family with Sam."

"You can't turn your back on your child," Elizabeth practically pleads with him. She takes his hand and presses it on her belly, trying to nudge the baby into action. No one can resist the kick of their child. "Did you feel that? That was your child saying hello. You're going to give that up for this trashy slut?"

At the look in his eyes, Sam has to push aside her own anger and hold him back.

"Jason no!" she yells, trying to pull him back. "Nikolas, help me."

Nikolas takes Jason's other arm to hold him.

"Emily, get her out of here," Nikolas quietly demands. "Because in a minute, Sam will have to try to hold both Jason and I back from hurting her."

"You can't hurt me. None of you can. Ric won't let that happen."

"Are you delusional or just stupid?" Sam asks. "Do you really believe Ric has your best interest at heart? What did he promise you, Elizabeth? That he'd help you get custody of that baby? That he'd hide the proof of your involvement in what happened to me? All in exchange for helping him get Molly?"

"It wasn't like that. The marriage was my idea once I found out that Jason had married you in a desperate attempt to take my child from me."

"Oh get over yourself," Sam says, rolling her eyes. "First of all, Jason married me because he loves me. Second of all, you give yourself way too much credit for the marriage idea. Believe me, Ric probably had it planned all along and was just playing you so you'd think it was your idea. And now that he's gotten what he was after, what makes you think he'll honor his agreement with you? What makes you think he even wants to raise Molly, let alone your children? I bet he's already mentioned nice boarding schools for Cameron."

Elizabeth squints her eyes. How could she know about that?

"You're wrong. He didn't mention anything about boarding school," she lies. Well, it's not really a lie. He's never said anything about the schools. But he did have some brochures sent to the house. "Ric wants all of us to be a family."

"What happens when you're no longer convenient for him?" Nikolas asks her. "What happens when having you and your children around isn't in his plan anymore? Do you think he'll just let you go with a quiet divorce?"

"Ric wouldn't hurt me," Elizabeth says, shaking her head. "I'll admit that this marriage isn't about love, but Ric wouldn't hurt me."

"You keep believing that if you want," Jason growls. "And you better hope it's true. Because you've finally crossed that last line, Elizabeth. There's no more help out here for you."

With that, he walks away, leaving her standing there in a stunned silence. Sam runs after him, catching up with him in front of the courthouse.

"I'm sorry about this," she says, hugging him from behind.

"She's nothing to me," he shrugs. "She can betray me all she wants, it doesn't matter. I wasn't even mad about this stunt she pulled marrying Ric. But when she started in on you and making all those excuses about why she did what she did, I snapped. She makes it seem as if this is all your fault when really, none of it is. Probably not even what happened with Ric."

"What do you mean?"

"Carly thinks he might have drugged you that night. I'm starting to agree with her."

"No," Sam says, shaking her head. She even goes so far as to cover her ears to keep from hearing. "No. I can't believe that. Because that would mean that he raped me, Jason. And day after miserable day, he let me believe that I _let_ him touch me."

She shudders and wraps her arms around herself, trying to shut Jason out.

"Sam. We have to talk about this."

"Jason, I can't," she cries. "Let's just leave it alone. Because if I think about it too much, how can I live with myself for letting that scum take my little sister? How about all the times he's been alone with Kristina? What's to stop him from doing to her what he did to me? Don't you get it, Jason? I'll go crazy if I think about those things."

"Shhh," he tries to calm her after finally managing to take her in his arms. "He won't get her, Sam. I can't tell you everything right now, but I can promise you he won't get his hands on either of your sisters ever again. You have to trust me on that."

"I do," she nods, burying her head in his chest. "I trust you with my life."

"Let's just hope we can convince Alexis to trust me as well. Because the success of the plan depends on her."

"Do you think she'll go along with it?"

"At first? No," he shakes his head. "I'm sure right now, Alexis is dealing with this in the most predictable way possible."

"Let me guess. She's on her way home right now to pack up Kristina and Molly and take off."

"That would be my guess," he nods. "That would have only landed her in even more trouble. So Sonny came up with the idea to . . . let's say, skip a few steps. In the end, Alexis, Molly, and Kristina will end up exactly as Alexis intended. She'll probably hate us for what she's going to go through these next few hours, but in the end, it should all work out."

"Let's just hope," Sam sighs. "Jason, it's time for _something_ to work out. Just one thing."

"This will." He presses a kiss to her forehead before unwrapping himself from around her. Instead of letting her go completely, he takes her hand and pulls her towards the car. "We need to get over to Sonny's. That's where we're going to need to be when all this goes down."

Little did he know, it had already started.

- - -

Alexis runs into the house as fast as her weakened body will allow.

"Viola!" she calls out, before moving quickly into Kristina's room. She starts tossing things onto the bed. Things that she plans on taking.

She calls out to Viola and frowns when the woman doesn't answer her. She moves into the nursery to pack some things for Molly as well.

There's still no answer from Viola. In fact, there's no noise at all in the house. Where is her nanny? Where are her girls?

"Viola?"

Still no answer. Just then, the phone rings. She jumps in surprise before she calms herself down to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Ms. Davis, it's Viola."

"Viola, where are you? Do you have the girls?"

"The girls? No, ma'am. He took them and said that I was relieved of my duties. He said you knew about it."

"And you just let him take them? I can't believe you," Alexis screeches before slamming the phone down. She doesn't need to ask Viola who the "he" is. She knows just where to find her girls.

The drive across town to Ric's new house seemed to take forever. She barely gets the car in park before she jumps out and storms to the door.

"Open the door now, Ric," she screams.

He stands there with a smug grin on his face and a glass of bourbon on his hand.

"You didn't have to come here, Alexis. I planned on picking up Molly and all of her things."

"I had until 6:00. You had no right to take them! You didn't even let me say good-bye to Molly," she yells, pushing her way into the house. "And you had no right at all taking Kristina. Now where are they?"

"What are you talking about?" Ric starts to panic at the crazed woman standing in his doorway yelling at him. "Why are you here looking for Molly? I didn't pick her up yet."

"Don't lie to me about this. Bring me my girls right now," Alexis demands.

"I don't have them!" Ric yells back. "Are you telling me that you lost them? Are you that sick and incompetent, Alexis? Where is my daughter?"

"I can't believe you," Alexis says, pushing Ric out of her way. "I can't believe that you would stoop this low. You're going to regret it."

She storms back out of the house with one destination in mind. She's no longer an officer of the court. She is a mother trying to right an injustice. There's only one person capable of handling Ric the way he needs to be handled. It's time now she let Sonny do what he does best.

She backs out of the driveway with one hand and pulls out her phone with the other.

"Sonny," she practically screams into the phone. "He has my girls and won't give them back. Ric took Molly and Kristina. You have to get them back from him and then make sure he doesn't do this again."

She knows she sounds unreasonable and hysterical. But she doesn't care. Ric has to be stopped and he has to be stopped now.

"Calm down, Alexis. Come over to my place and we'll handle this."

He hangs up the phone and looks over at Jason and Sam.

"It's a good thing you got here when you did. Alexis is on the way over. It's going to take all of us to convince her to do this."

"She'll agree," Sam smiles, cooing gently at the baby in her arms. "She'll be so happy once she sees this little face, she'll do anything to keep her safe."

"Mommy's coming?" Kristina asks.

"Yes," Sonny nods, taking his daughter into his arms. "Then you, your Mama, and Molly will be going on a little trip for awhile. Just think of it as an adventure."

He gives her a sad smile and gently strokes her hair.

"Are you coming too, Daddy?"

"No. Not this trip," he sighs, trying to hide his sadness. "But we'll see each other again. I promise you."

"Okay, Daddy," she says, giving him a kiss on his cheek.

"You know what's fun, Kristina?" Sam asks. "The hiding game. Right now, you and Molly are going to hide in that secret room Daddy showed you and stay there until your mom comes to get you, okay? Think you can do that and be a brave girl for us?"

Kristina nods excitedly at the idea of the "game".

"Good girl. Come on with me."

Sam takes the girls out just as company arrives.

"Mr. Corinthos, open up. It's the police."

Jason and Sonny look at each other.

"We were expecting them," Jason shrugs.

"May as well get this over with. The sooner we handle the cops, the sooner Alexis and the girls can go, and the sooner my daughter will be able to come back home to me."

"This will work out," Jason assures him. "And once they're gone and safe, we'll be able to take care of Ric."

Sonny nods.

"Once and for all. It's high time we dealt with my brother."

On that ominous note, he turns to welcome in the police.

To be continued . . .


	19. Chapter 19

IN THE MIDST OF IT ALL

Chapter 19

With the police at the door, Sonny waits until he's sure Sam has safely hidden the girls before telling Max to let them in.

"You made sure Rodriguez is out of the loop, right?" Jason asks.

"Yeah, I sent him and Gia on a trip to the islands for a few days," Sonny nods. "I think he knew I was up to something, but decided to go ahead and go anyway. I don't think he should be in the middle of this and take any of the blame when this doesn't go how the police expects it to go."

"He's a good guy," Jason notes as the officers are led into the living room.

"What can I do for you gentlemen?" Sonny asks, acting as if there's nothing out of the ordinary going on.

"The DA needs you at the PCPD for a few questions. So, if you'll come with us . . ."

"I don't think so," Sonny says, standing his ground. "If the DA needs to ask me some questions, he can either come here or send a warrant."

"Sir, this matter is serious."

"Yes, it is serious. The DA cannot continue to harass me this way," Sonny says, going to pick up the phone. "I'm calling my lawyer and getting a stop to this right now."

The two officers give each other a look and step into the foyer to call into the station. They run into Alexis as she blazes into the house.

"You've got to help me get the girls back from that monster," she screams, ignoring the cops who have come in behind her.

"Ma'am, can we help?" one of the officers asks. "Did you say someone has taken your children. Is this related to the matter the DA wishes to question Mr. Corinthos about?"

"What questions?" Alexis snaps. "Ric is the one who has them. Why does he need to question Mr. Corinthos?"

"I'm guessing Ric called in and reported them missing and sent these good officers over here to question me about it," Sonny explains.

"Why would he do that if he has them?" Alexis asks.

"Ma'am, he doesn't have them," the other officer tells her. "He says that you came to his house looking for them, thinking he had them, and realized something was wrong. So he called us."

"So wait a minute. You're saying that Ric _doesn't_ have them?" Alexis begins to panic. "Then where are they? Who has my girls?"

"Alexis, calm down," Jason urges her, leading her to sit on the sofa. "Let's talk to the officers and try to figure this out."

"No, Jason. I can't calm down. My girls are missing and you're trying to get me to calm down?"

"What's going on out here?" Sam asks, wandering into the room when she hears things heating up.

"Sam, thank God you're here. Tell me you have them," Alexis pleads tearfully. "Tell me you've seen the girls."

Sam feels a twinge of guilt at the pain in her mother's eyes. It takes everything in her not to send a pleading look at Jason. But she knows for this to work, she has to be convincing. Unwilling to outright lie to Alexis, she evades the question instead.

"Alexis, Ric won the custody case, remember? He probably has Molly. And Kristina is probably with Viola."

"She doesn't have them," Alexis cries. "Viola called me and told me that "he" picked them up. I just assumed the "he" was Ric. But if it isn't Ric, then who has them?"

"You spoke with Viola?" Sonny asks her. "What else did she say?"

"I didn't give her much of a chance to say anything," Alexis admits. "I was so angry at Ric and assumed he had them. I went storming over to his new house demanding he give me my girls back."

"For the last time, I don't have them," Ric says as he walks uninvited into the house. He's flashing around a piece of paper and all but throws it in Sonny's face. "This is a search warrant. These officers are going to turn this house upside down if they have to. And if there's even a hint that Molly has been here recently, you're going down, Sonny."

Ric leads the officers throughout the house, calling in more as the hours past. He gets more and more frustrated when he finds nothing.

"Where are they?" he finally asks Sonny when they've gone through the entire house three times. "I know you took them. Just tell me, Sonny. Remember that I know where all your safe houses are. I'm having them searched as we speak."

"You're wasting your time here, Ric. All this time, those two little girls are out there and you're wasting time here with Sonny. You need to do your job and find my girls!" Alexis yells at him before seemingly wilting.

"That's it," Sonny says, finally standing up to Ric. "You get your officers and get out of my home. Take your search elsewhere because you can see that they aren't here. Alexis is heartbroken and exhausted. She doesn't need to see this."

"Fine," Ric says through clenched teeth. "If this is how you're going to play it, then so be it. I know you have those girls, though, Sonny. There's no way you'd be here so calm if Kristina were really missing, so I'm not going to worry about Molly. But I'll be back. And I'm going to stay on you until they show up. Then I'll have you once and for all. You'll be going to prison for a long time after this."

Ric stomps out of the house, making sure to slam the door behind him. He posts officers to stay as look out in case anything suspicious happens and gets in his car to return home. As he's driving, he picks up the phone.

"It's Ric Lansing," he says when someone answers. "Put me through to Judge Cleary right now."

After a brief pause, the other man picks up.

"Ric, what's going on?"

"Randy, it's crazy. I lost Molly."

"Impossible. I married you and Elizabeth myself for this very purpose. And with what we had on Judge Sanders, there's no way he would have risked not awarding you custody," his old friend says.

"He did grant me custody, but before I could get Molly, she went missing. Both of the girls did. I'm pretty sure my brother had something to do with this, but there's no way to prove it. As far as I can tell, the girls went missing during the hearing and Sonny was there the whole time. We even had words afterwards. There's no physical way that either he or Jason could have taken the girls. And no way he could have had something take them because I never saw either of them leave the court room or make any calls after the judge gave his decision."

"Maybe he has nothing to do with this," Randy suggests. "And even if he did, this was probably a good thing. Preliminary poll results don't have this move of yours to take an infant child from her cancer stricken mother as being too popular with a majority of the voters you'll need to win mayor."

"So me being the anguished father would come across better than me being a loving father and taking my child for her own good?" Ric ponders. "Makes sense. I'll be the victim now instead of Alexis. I could spin this and say that she had Sonny take the kids for her since she lost the case."

"Be careful with that. You can't risk any slander or libel suits. Alexis is a smart lawyer. You even so much as hint that she had anything to do with this, you could be in even more trouble. You need to get your cops to come to this conclusion on their own and then have the theory leaked to the press."

"Great," Ric sighs. "That could take forever. The guys on this force aren't exactly all that sharp. I'll need to come up with an alternative plan. Think about it and I'll talk to you tomorrow."

Ric hangs up the phone and tries to school his expressions before he gets home. He has to do everything in his power to keep Elizabeth from learning the real truth. And if she ever does, it'll be too late.

- - -

"Alexis, you're looking pale," Sonny notes, putting his fingers up to his mouth and pointing to a listening device Ric had planted during all the searching. "I think you should go get some rest."

"Come on. I'll show you to the room," Sam offers, helping the weak woman off the couch.

Sonny gives her a nod, silently letting her know where to take Alexis. They wanted to wait a day or two to set some phony leads for Ric, but the distraught woman won't make it that long. She needs reassurance.

They walk into a room and Alexis almost gasps out loud when Jason pushes a panel to reveal a hidden stairway. The stairs go down to a basement sublevel Alexis never knew existed in the house.

"Where are we going?"

"Ultimately, that's up to you," Sonny says cryptically. He leads them into what looks like could be a small underground house that could comfortably hide a family in case of an emergency. Or a police raid, Alexis realizes.

Before she can gather her thoughts enough to blast him for his illegal quarters, rooms she's sure are not on the official plans of the house, she gets a surprise she wasn't expecting.

"Mommy! You found us!" Kristina yells, running to her mother. "Sam said you would find us."

"Us? Molly's here too?" Alexis smiles, happy tears starting to gather in her eyes.

"And Viola too. She wanted to play the game with us. Isn't it fun?"

"It had to be this way," Sam tries to explain to her when Alexis turns a sharp eye on the trio of kidnappers.

"We needed your reaction to Ric to be authentic. We had to be sure he didn't suspect you at all in this."

"And what is this?" Alexis barks. "You surely don't expect us to live down here in your basement until Ric decides to give this up? You don't expect the girls to stay down here, hiding away for the rest of their lives?"

"Of course not," Sonny says. "I don't plan on any of you being here that long."

"Not to sound ungrateful, Sonny. But why are we here? This is crazy? A judge ruled that I have to turn Molly over to her father. I can't just hide her away because I don't agree," Alexis tries to reason with him.

"Are you trying to tell me that as soon as you left the courthouse, you didn't plan on doing this very thing yourself?" Sonny challenges her, giving that infamous grin when she doesn't say anything.

"Okay, so maybe I planned on running," she admits. "Is that so crazy?"

"It isn't, Alexis. That's why Sonny is doing this," Sam explains.

"I can't believe I'm asking this," Alexis sighs, shaking her head. "But what's the plan?"

"It's simple. You, Molly, Kristina, and Viola . . . you're all going to die."

"Excuse me? We're going to . . . what?"

Sonny just smiles and walks down the hall to what Alexis assumes is the kitchen. Alexis, still sputtering, turns to look at Jason, who's just shaking his head.

"He's kidding, right?" Alexis asks her silent son-in-law before turning to Sam. "He's not going to kill us, is he?"

"Of course he isn't," Sam assure her. "Jason's going to do it."

Alexis just lets out a guttural groan that makes Sam laugh, too.

"You two are mean," Jason sighs. "Alexis, they're kidding . . . sort of. Let's go over here and I'll explain it all to you."

Sam's giggles follow her over to where Sonny has been standing, just watching his little girl at play. Instantly, she realizes all he's risking and giving up by doing this.

"Second thoughts?"

"It's going to be hard to let her go," he admits. "Even if it is just for a little while. Or, it could be for a long while. No one really knows. I haven't really had all the much time with her."

"Is there any other way?"

"Not to stop Ric," he says, shaking his head. "Plus, Alexis really needs this. It could save her life."

Sam gives him a curious look and is about to ask him what he means when they're interrupted by Jason and a teary Alexis. She walks up to Sonny and wraps her arms around him, crying freely on his shoulder.

"You can be such an infuriatingly annoying . . . yet completely wonderful man, do you know that?" she asks, her words barely understandable through her sobs. "I can't believe you'd do all of this for me."

"I'm doing it for Kristina," he claims, his words belied by the moistness in his eyes.

"What's going on?" Sam asks, the only one still out of the loop.

"There's a clinic," Jason explains. "We can't tell you where it is exactly. Not until this mess with Ric is settled. But Sonny managed to get Alexis in there as a patient. And not even Ric will be able to find her there."

"This clinic apparently has an unheard of success rate with curing my type of cancer," Alexis smiles, wiping her wet cheeks dry. "Viola, the girls and I will be headed there in the morning."

"How long will you be gone?"

"At least six months," Sonny says sadly, sending another somber glance at his daughter. "She's going to grow up so much in that time."

"Sonny, I . . .," Alexis pauses, not sure how to say this without sounding like a complete hypocrite for all the self righteousness she's been spouting since she's known him. "I don't know what you have planned for Ric, exactly. But I know you're going to handle this and get that viper out of our lives for good. And when that happens, just let me know. And I'll send Kristina back here to stay with you until I'm well."

"Alexis," Sonny gasps. "Do you realize what you're saying? You could be over there for months."

"And I stole years of her life from you. And here you are still risking everything, even the next six months of your daughter's life, to save mine. All of you," she says, turning to face Sam and Jason. "I've been so unfair and harshly critical of all of you. And you're doing so much for me, just because I was lucky enough to give birth to two girls that you love more than anything."

"I do love Sam, Alexis. No matter what you think . . ."

"No, Jason. You're right. It doesn't matter what I think. Because you love her in spite of me. But in case you're wondering, despite what I've said in the past, I do think that you are the best thing that has ever happened to her. You love her. When she had no one else to love her, you did. Even when I . . ."

"When you didn't love me," Sam finishes for her, a painful look in her eyes.

"Oh Sam," Alexis sighs. "Sam, you're my daughter. I carried you inside of me for all those months. I gave you away, hoping you'd have the kind of life I could never give you. I wouldn't have done that if I didn't love my child.

"But I've resisted over these past months seeing you as that innocent baby I gave my heart to all those years ago. I wasted so much time being disappointed in the life you lead that I didn't realize that I should be proud of how it's a life you had to make for yourself. You are so strong, Sam. So strong and so brave. I saw it in your eyes when you were born. I called you my _Eleni_. My shining light. You made me strive to become the kind of woman worthy to be your mother. And it's going to be you I'll fight this illness for to get back to. I'm not going to let us give up on each other."

It wasn't a traditional I love you. Sam wouldn't have believed that. But Alexis' touching words made Sam, for the first time in her life, feel what she's been forever yearning for . . . a mother's love.

"Then live, Alexis," Sam says, a tear dripping down her cheek. "Live and come back to me. We've got a lot to make up for."

The women clasp hands and give each other a look of understanding. It wasn't much, but it's a start. And for the first time, they both believe that they can put everything behind them and make this work.

"So much has been messed up by this situation with my brother," Sonny whispers to Jason, not wanting to disrupt the women. "But seeing that . . ."

" . . . almost makes this trouble seem worth it," Jason nods, understanding exactly what he's talking about as he watches Alexis give Sam something he's never been able to give her. "We're all going to be stronger for this. Ric has been a drain on us for far too long. Are you sure you won't have a problem with . . ."

"Not a one," Sonny practically growls. "And when the time comes, I'd give anything to be there with a front row seat. My brother's days are numbers. And heaven help anyone who's in the way when his time is up."

_One can only hope,_ Jason thinks silently, deciding to keep that thought to himself. As shameful as the thought is, he almost hopes Elizabeth tries to stop him from killing Ric. Because if she is . . . heaven help her indeed.

To be continued . . .


	20. Chapter 20

IN THE MIDST OF IT ALL

Chapter 20

"Well, I killed your mom," Jason says when he walks into the penthouse a few days later.

Sam looks up from the papers in front of her, amused at the way he phrased his part in implementing Alexis' escape.

"I'm sure she'll be glad to hear it," Sam giggles, leaning her head back when he bends down to kiss her. "So I take it everything is fine now with her and the girls?"

"Yeah, they'll be safe for awhile. There's no way Ric is going to find her. Sonny managed to enroll Alexis in the program at the hospital under the name of a recently deceased patient. Viola is staying nearby with the girls so she can take them to see Alexis every day."

"That's good. Those girls will finally have some stability. Viola is a God send and she loves them so much. She's giving up a lot to do this," Sam notes.

"You've given up a lot, too," Jason says, stroking a finger down her cheek. "It's time for you to get all you want, Sam. I just wish I could give it to you. I wish I could make this crazy mess with Elizabeth disappear."

"If you did that, Jason, then that would mean your baby would disappear, too. And I know you don't want that," she says, looking back down at what she was doing when he first came in.

Lucky for him, she _is_ looking down. Because she misses the look that crosses his face that would let her know that's _exactly_ what he wishes would happen. And coming from a man that knows how to make problems disappear, it would scare her too much to know the blood lust he's developed for ridding his life of Elizabeth Webber.

" . . . girl, not sure what we'll do. But if it's a boy, we can redo the nursery to accommodate him and TJ. They're both still babies. We'll just need to add another crib."

"What?" he asks, giving her a confused look.

"Weren't you listening? I was showing you some drawings I had done of possible ways we could renovate to make room for all the kids," she explains.

"Tessa and Trent have rooms. What do we need to change?"

"You really weren't listening," she sighs, shaking her head. "What about your baby? I know he or she won't be living here, but we can't exactly stick it in a drawer when it visits."

She's teasing, but she realizes that something isn't quite right with him.

"What is it, Jason? Are you worried about how I'm going to feel about this baby? Because you don't have to . . ."

"No," he says, shaking his head. He takes her hand and presses a kiss to her palm. "You've been wonderful. You seem to have accepted this awful situation I got you stuck in."

"Jason, I'm not stuck. Not anymore so than you were when you took me in when I was pregnant with Sonny's child."

"That was different," he insists. "I was doing that for Michael."

"And what about later? After Sonny and I broke up? After Sonny and Carly broke up? You still stuck by my side."

"Well, by then, it was because I wanted to," he smiles. "Must have been those pregnancy hormones you were giving off. I was a fly in your trap, Babe."

"Oh yeah. My impersonation of a beached whale was real sexy," she scoffs, rolling her eyes.

"More so than you realize," he tells her, scanning her from head to toes and biting his lip as memories of her full body and lush curves fill his mind. "I'm not sure how much longer I would have been able to keep my hands off of you. It's why I was so terrified of doing Lamaze with you. All that touching and heavy breathing . . ."

"You're serious?" she asks dubiously. "Lamaze turned you on?"

"No, Sam. You did. I realized I had fallen hard for you by the time I met Danny. I mean, sure. Things with us started because of the baby. But I'm actually grateful for that. Because that gave us the time to get to know each other. And it gave me the time to fall in love with you. And when I did, I realized that I wanted you and your baby in my life.

"But Elizabeth is another story?"

"Yeah," he sighs. "I just want her gone. Out of my life."

"And what about the baby?"

"I don't know," he shrugs. "I feel nothing for that child. I'm actually ashamed to admit it. Last week at the courthouse when she had me feel the baby kick . . . nothing. No link, no bond, no connection. It wasn't anything like the surge of joy and pride I felt the first time I felt your baby kick. If anything, I felt repulsed that I was touching her."

"Maybe once the baby is born, when he's not merely an extension of her, things will change for you," she offers, giving his hand a comforting squeeze.

"Would you . . . would you be really disappointed in me if I paid her off? If I just gave her a few million dollars to go away and gave her a paper signing away my parental right? Because I could do that right now and not even feel guilty. What kind of man does that make me?"

"A human one," she says, grabbing both sides of his downturned face to look him in the eyes. "Don't beat yourself up over this, Jason. Let's just give it some time. Elizabeth isn't due to give birth for another week or two. And then after the baby is born . . . "

" . . . and I still hate my child, then will you label me the worst father ever?"

She just hugs him, wrapping her arms around him and hoping her love will penetrate.

"You're an amazing father, Jason. Tessa and Trent adore you. And they have no doubts that you love them, too. Their social worker says that they are adapting to this family in a way she's never seen with foster kids before. That's because of the love they feel from us. Especially from you. since neither of them have ever had a father before. When you start to doubt yourself, Jason, just look at those two little angels. Look at the way they look at you. Look at how confident they are in your love for them. That's no easy feat, Jason."

"You're right," he says, he can tell she doubts his sudden capitulation. "No, I really know that what you're saying is true, but it's going to take awhile before it sinks in. I guess I just need some time to think and come to some kind of peace with what I've brought down on us."

"You still think this is your fault? Jason, I thought we already put this behind us. We hurt each other so badly that night. Don't blame yourself. If anything, you should be blaming me for this whole mess. If you hadn't seen me with Ric . . . "

"I should have stopped it," Jason interrupts her. "I should have busted in there and dragged him off of you and made sure it was what you really wanted. I can't believe I just left you there like that. I let him rape you, Sam."

"Jason, it wasn't like that," she says with a shudder, closing her eyes in disgust as thoughts of that night twist a knife in her gut. "My actions, as awful as they were, were my decision."

"Are you sure about that? Can you be positive that you willingly allowed him to touch you?"

"I must have!" she screams, standing up to nervously pace the floor. "Jason, why else would I have done it?"

"Can you look me in the eye and tell me you _wanted_ to sleep with him?"

She just shakes her head.

"Can you look me in the eye and tell me that his touch, or even thoughts of his touch, don't make you sick to your stomach?"

She groans, wrapping her arms around herself and proving his point.

"Sam, you can't even talk about it. Partly because you can't remember what really happened, but mostly because some part of you has just shut down."

"Why does it even matter? It's over. It's done with. We've both acknowledged our mistakes and we've gotten past it."

"Sam, what if you never made a mistake? What if I'm the only one who betrayed us?"

"Jason, let it go," she begs him. "What if what you're saying is true? You'd feel even guiltier than both of us already do. How would that make anything better?"

"It would ease your guilt, Sam. It would help bridge the gap between you and your family. It would put an end to what Elizabeth thinks she has over you. Sam, I'd take on any blame for all this if it'll ease your suffering."

His heartfelt sincerity breaks her resolve.

"Okay," she relents. "For you, I'll find out what happened. If only to prove that you are wrong."

She leans over to kiss him before grabbing her stuff and walking out the door.

- - -

"Sir, there still are no new leads."

Ric slams his hand against his desk when he hears those words from the private investigator he hired. Wherever Sonny managed to stash Alexis and the girls, it's obvious that they won't be found.

"Leave me your report," Ric says gruffly. "I'll get back to you when I'm ready to start the search again."

The man nods and leaves after setting a file on Ric's desk. Ric doesn't even look at it. A fit of rage comes over him and he sweeps it, along with everything else, off his desk. He'll let one of the paralegals worry about the mess later. He's got his own mess he needs to clean up.

He picks up the phone and calls his friend on the inside. He's quickly running out of favors with the man, but he has no one else to turn to.

"Randy, it's Ric," he starts when the crooked judge's voicemail picks up. "There's still no word on Molly. I'm at the end of my rope. My brother and that side kick of his are going to pay for this. They took my child. It's only right I return the favor. Call me back. I have an idea on how to make that happen."

He hangs up and rubs his hands together, a cliched evil cackle rumbling from his gut. Jason should have thought twice before getting involved. When Ric is finished with Elizabeth and that brat she's carrying, Jason will be sorry he ever crossed Ric's path.

- - -

She's nervous about the file in her hand. She knows it'll shed light on her situation, but she's not sure she's ready to face that truth yet. She hasn't even told Jason the whole truth about that night . . . and its aftermath. It was bad enough confessing to him what happened with Ric. She couldn't even begin to speak of the rest. She may not have a choice, though. Not if he keeps letting the guilt eat away at him. But what she has to say may very well turn his hate from himself and place it directly on her.

She tucks the file more securely under her arm and walks out the elevator when the doors open. Her weekly appointment with Lainey Winters couldn't have come at a better time. Maybe the shrink will be able to provide some insight into her situation.

- - -

Elizabeth watches Sam emerge from the elevator and the hate starts to seethe. She puts a hand on her stomach to still the kicks of protestations her child gives her. She knows she shouldn't let Sam get to her, but she can't help it. No matter what she says, she just can't seem to get Jason to realize the truth about Sam.

There has to be a way, Elizabeth tells herself. There's got to be something she can do to make Jason see the truth. And once he's free from Sam's manipulations, he'll come running to her. He'll embrace her and his child and they can become a family.

"What does Jason see in her?" she asks aloud, not realizing anyone was around. Not until Epiphany answers.

"I take it you're talking about Ms. McCall," Epiphany says, nodding her head in the direction of the other woman. "And I assume the 'he' you're talking about is Jason Morgan."

"It's gotta be the sex," Elizabeth guesses. "She's had enough of it. She must be really good at it to make Jason lose all sense when it comes to her."

"She's been around the block a few times?"

"Oh yeah. She comes to town and falls into bed with Jax. And get this, she was only screwing him to get her hand on some treasure. Then she seduces Sonny while he was married to Carly. All the time, she's still sleeping with Jax because when word got out she was pregnant, she didn't even know who the father was," Elizabeth explains.

"Well, you didn't know who your baby's father was either," Epiphany points out.

"That's different. My situation is nothing like Sam's," she snaps. "Sam is a slut, plain and simple. She's a home wrecking whore. She's the kind of woman who sleeps with married men, no matter who they're married to. Even her own mother's husband. What kind of woman is that? And Jason saw her with his own eyes. He saw her having sex with another man. What is it going to take to make him see the truth?"

"And what truth would that be? That he'd be better off with you?"

"We're having a child together, Epiphany. Why shouldn't he be with me? We were friends long before Sam came into the picture. But she makes him afraid to even be alone with me. She's poisoned him against me. What kind of woman would turn a child's father against his mother?"

"I don't know," Epiphany sighs. "Where I come from, there are names for women like that. I don't know how she can live with herself."

"What should I do about her?"

"They say you should know your enemy. So maybe you should start with what you have available. Look through her medical records and see if there's anything you can use to make Jason see the truth," Epiphany suggests. She opens a drawer and pulls out a form, signing her name to the bottom before giving it to Elizabeth.

"What's this?"

"A requisition coming from me for Sam's records. You can see if she's been hiding anything from Jason."

Elizabeth considers the form carefully, not wanting to seem too eager. But in reality, she can't wait to see what she digs up.

"I'll think about it." She folds the paper and puts it in her pocket. "But for right now, I have an appointment with Dr. Lee. Hopefully we can convince Jason Jr. to make his appearance soon. I feel like I've been pregnant for a year."

"So it's a boy?" Epiphany asks excitedly. "I bet Jason was happy to hear that."

"He doesn't know yet. He missed my last few appointments with all the mess Sam has been taking him through. But I'll call him after the appointment and surprise him. I'm sure he's going to be ecstatic about a little boy to carry on his name."

She practically floats down the hallway to her appointment, thinking about the kind of life she could have with Jason and the kids. With what Epiphany just gave her, she's sure she can find something to use against Sam. It's only a matter of time now before she'll be able to claim Jason as her own.

"Elizabeth," Dr. Lee says, interrupting her fantasies. "I'm glad you're early. I need to talk to you about a very serious issue regarding your paternity test."

"What kind of issue?" Elizabeth asks, suddenly feeling her world topple over. "What's wrong?"

"Possibly, nothing. But we've discovered some discrepancies with other patient tests run on the same day as your paternity test. Seems a vicious virus struck the hospital computer system caused some problems that might have affected some of the tests run during that week. You're going to need to have another test done to be sure of your baby's paternity. This close to your due date, though, I'd suggest waiting until the baby is born."

Another test? Panic seizes Elizabeth's heart. What is she going to do now?

- - -

Lainey flips through the file Sam gave her at the start of the appointment. Her medical knowledge can easily decipher what Sam had questions about. The problem is, she doesn't know how to explain it to Sam.

"I just needed to do something," Sam explains. "Jason is feeling so guilty. I wanted to show him there was no need."

Lainey gives her weak smile before excusing herself for a minute. She tells Sam it's because she needs to make a copy for her permanent file at GH - and that's partly true. But mostly she needs a minute to gather her thoughts.

She takes a few minutes to log the data into Sam's records herself, not wanting even her assistant to see it, before going back into the room.

"Everything okay?" Sam asks, in a reversal of roles that slightly amuses the psychiatrist.

"We'll see," Lainey answers cryptically, going to sit next to Sam. She opens the file to a page and starts what's going to be one of the hardest conversations she's had with the woman. "Tell me again the story behind these medical records."

"When I first came to Port Charles, I didn't really plan on staying. I didn't have a job, really. No money. So when I found myself pregnant and looking to get rid of the baby, I went to a women's clinic. That's where these records are from."

"But you didn't have the abortion."

"No," Sam says, shaking her head. "But they were good people. I felt comfortable there. I guess with the anonymity and what not. So after that night with Ric, I went back."

"Why?" Lainey asks, even though she knows. It's all documented in her records.

"After I woke up and realized what happened, I panicked. I was too fuzzy to think and couldn't remember if there was any kind of protection involved."

"You didn't want to risk a pregnancy," Lainey finishes for her.

"Exactly. Like I said, I was fuzzy. I was scared and confused. I just wanted no ramifications from the worst mistake of my life. So I went to the clinic. I told them I made a mistake and asked for the morning after pill. I had seen on the news the pill was practically available over the counter these days. But they still insisted on tests before they prescribed it for me."

"They wanted to make sure you weren't already pregnant," Lainey explains. "It's a common procedure. And in this case, the tests were a lot more telling than you realized. Sam, despite what you've heard, it's still very difficult to get the morning after pill. But your tests gave the people at the clinic more than enough reason to prescribe it for you."

"What do you mean?" Sam asks her.

"Your tox levels had been . . . affected."

"I was drinking," Sam shrugs. "That's to be expected, right?"

"The alcohol? Yes, that was expected. But they didn't expect the traces of flunitrazepam and methylenedioxymethamphetamine."

"English, please?"

Lainey bites her lip in hesitation, but decides to just let it all out.

"You may know them better as rohypnol and ecstacy."

"Rohy. . the date rape drug?" Sam gasps. "I had that in my system?"

"I'm sorry, Sam. It would appear Jason's right about Ric drugging you."

"He drugged me?"

Lainey gives her a minute to let it sink in. She watches the look on Sam's face go from disbelief to shock and finally to anger.

"He drugged me! Then he touched me. And all this time let me think I let him," Sam screams.

For the first time in her career, Lainey is at a loss. She's just as shocked at this turn of events as Sam.

"How did the drugs work?" Sam asks. "I was under the impression that the date rape drug kind of knocks you out and leave you vulnerable to attack. Jason saw me actively participating."

"The ecstacy is a stimulant. It kept you up and possibly caused some hallucinations that Ric used to his advantage. You probably thought you were with Jason the entire time."

Sam sighs. Then she closes her eyes and allows the tears to fall.

"I don't want to know this," she says, wrapping her arms around herself in a gesture Lainey recognizes as a self protective one. "I don't want this to be true."

"Sam, it's perfectly understandable. Victims of rape often . . ."

"Don't say that!" she yells. "That didn't happen. It never happened."

"Sam, Ric Lansing drugged you, taking away your will. Then he slept with you when you had no choice to resist him. That is rape."

"No." Sam plugs her ears and squeezes her eyes shut.

"You have to deal with it."

For a long time, Sam is so still and silent that Lainey isn't sure she heard her. But then Sam looks up at her with a look that chills Lainey to her very soul.

"You're right," she nods. "I have to deal with this. I have to deal with Ric. I'm not going to let him get away with what he's done."

"Sam, what are you . . . what are you going to do?"

Sam gives her another chilling smile, her intent perfectly clear.

"I'm going to do what needs to be done. I'm going to make sure that Ric can't do something like this ever again."

To be continued . . .


	21. Chapter 21

IN THE MIDST OF IT ALL

Chapter 21

He had just put the kids down for their nap when the front door slams. Not wanting to wake the kids, he doesn't call out. Instead, he gently closes the doors to their rooms and tips down the stairs.

"Sam?" he calls out, anxious to find out what she's discovered. "Is that you?"

She doesn't answer, but he figures she can't hear him since she's buried in the closet. He assumes she's hanging up her coat. But when she emerges with the shiny, silver weapon in her hand, he stops in his tracks.

"Sam, what are you doing?" he asks gently, slowly easing his way towards her. "Are you all right?"

"I'm perfectly fine," she says calmly. A little too calmly for a woman who's standing in her living room, expertly loading bullets into a gun. "I just have a little something to take care of."

"Hold on a minute," he says. He reaches out to her and grabs onto the hand holding the gun. She has a tight grip on it, so it takes him a minute to pry it from your fingers. "You can't slam in here, get a gun, and breeze back out talking about a "something" you have to take care of. Not only is it dangerous, considering my line of work. But it's also insulting, considering my line of work."

That gets a tiny smile out of her.

"I'm not trying to take over your action, if that's what you're worried about," she tells him, the edges of her frazzled nerves starting to settle a little.

He takes advantage of her distraction and leads her towards the couch. He sets the gun on the table, well out of her reach, and sits next to her.

"Tell me what's going on. Who did you need to take care of?"

"Ric," she practically growls, her cold rage starting to build again. "I got proof that you were right. About him drugging me."

He sighs and closes his eyes.

"I didn't want to be right. I mean, I did, but I didn't. Because by being right, I realize what that means he did to you."

"Don't say the word," she begs him, inwardly cringing at even the thought. "I just . . . I don't want to think . . ."

"It's okay," Jason says, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder, relieved when she doesn't shrink away from his touch. "Just tell me what happened."

"I never wanted to tell you this," she practically whispers. "I told you about what happened with Ric, about what I _believed_ had happened with Ric. But I didn't tell you the whole story."

"Why not?"

"I was afraid. And ashamed. And I just wanted to forget what I had done," she tries to explain, not really sure she understands her own reasons for keeping it from him. "But I have to tell you now. And just pray that you won't hate me for it."

"For what, Sam? Just tell me," he begs her, beginning to get nervous at what she could possibly be so afraid to tell him. "Just start from the beginning."

"I was drinking. And fighting with Alexis. It was after you pushed me away that final time and I just snapped. I yelled at Alexis for making you push me away. Then she snapped and started yelling at me, too. Then she left and it was just Ric and I. He listened, Jason. And now that I think about it, he must have kept refilling my drinks because my glass was never empty. Before I knew it, we were . . . you know. I don't really remember who started what or even what we did. I didn't know if he used a condom, or what. I didn't want to risk . . ."

She sighs and goes to stand by the window. Whenever she has something hard to tell him, that window seems to comfort her in a way, somehow making it easier what she has to say.

"Risk what, Sam? Sam?" he calls out to her when she doesn't answer the first time. "Are you still with me?"

"I'm sorry," she apologizes, not realizing she had zoned out for so long. "This is just hard for me. I still don't have everything straight in my head. I still have so many blank spots. And it doesn't seem to be helping now that I know what to fill those spots with."

"It's going to be okay," he says to her, coming to stand behind her. He sets his hands on her shoulders and leans over to place a kiss on to the top of her head. "Just finish. Please. I need to hear the rest."

"I went to a clinic. The same clinic I went to when I was going to . . ."

"Terminate your pregnancy. When I found you and stopped you in time," he finishes for her.

"Yeah," she nods. "I went and explained what happened to the best of my knowledge. I was so confused and angry and mixed up that morning. But I was clear one thing. I couldn't get pregnant. I couldn't risk that. So I asked for the morning after pill. And I took it. And until today, no one else knew about it. Now you do and you probably think I'm the biggest hypocrite out there. With as much as I talk about wanting a baby so badly, I had the chance at one and got rid of it as soon as I could. Some maternal instinct."

"Sam, don't do this to yourself. Don't blame yourself for the consequences of Ric forcing himself onto you. Besides, the clinic wouldn't have given you the pill if they didn't think there was good reason for it."

"That's what Lainey said. That's how I realized what Ric had done to me. They ran blood tests at the clinic before they gave me the pill. They found traces of the date rape drug and ecstasy in my system. So as it turns out, you were right, Jason. That creep violated me. And now, he has to pay."

"I agree with you a hundred percent," he says, trying to keep his own anger at bay. "But not now. Not like this. Ric is the DA. There are rumors he's making a run for mayor. So whatever happens to him has to be carefully executed to avoid an in depth investigation. I already beat him badly. I'm going to be the first person they look at should he end up dead now. Especially if you use my gun to do it."

"I didn't think of that," she frowns. "I just wanted him dead. And gone. I know I shouldn't think like that about another human being, but I can't help it."

"Believe me. I know exactly how you feel," he sympathizes. "And I can promise you, Sonny and I are working on a way to get Ric permanently out of our lives."

"Okay, then. I'll leave him alone. For now," she warns. "But I can't be responsible for my actions if I run into him alone in a dark alley."

"Ooh, you got a bit of a dark side, don't you?" he teases, wrapping his arms around her. "It's kind of sexy."

They stand there holding each other, pretending that everything is all right. But they both know that things aren't all right. Ric Lansing made sure of that. And if either of them have anything to say about it, Ric Lansing is going to pay for it.

- - -

Two more weeks. Whether she delivers or not, the baby will be here two weeks. They'll induce labor if they have to, Kelly had said. Two weeks isn't a long time for Elizabeth to figure out what to do about the paternity test. What is she going to do if Jason finds out there's a problem?

She sighs, not knowing what to do.

"What's the matter with you?" Epiphany asks as she comes up behind her at the nurse's station. "The baby's okay, right?"

"The baby is fine," Elizabeth assures her. "I'm not sure I am, though. I'm just tired, I guess. I'm tired of fighting Sam so that my baby can have a father."

"Well, I might be able to help you on that," Epiphany smiles. She waves a file under Elizabeth's nose. "It's Sam's. She had an appointment today, so it was on its way back to central records. I didn't even have to check it out."

"Give it here," Elizabeth says, grabbing it eagerly. She looks over her shoulder to make sure she won't get caught before opening it.

"This girl certainly has had her share of medical attention," Epiphany notes. "Maybe she's one of those hypochondriacs or something."

"Sam's a con artist, but even she can't fake a miscarriage of a full term baby and a gunshot wound. Those were very real injuries. Ooh, what's this?"

Elizabeth stops at the newest entry into the file.

"It looks like something from that women's clinic downtown. Why would she have gone there?"

"To get something she wouldn't have gotten quietly here," Elizabeth smiles, a smug grin on her face. "Look. The morning after pill."

"You might be able to use this to your advantage. Show it to Jason and prove to him she doesn't want any kids, despite what she says. She either tried to make sure his baby or someone else's baby would never be born. Something like this has to make him think twice about her."

"No, look at the date. They weren't even together, so it wouldn't have been his baby."

"That was the day after the blackout," Epiphany says without really much thought for what she said.

"That's right," Elizabeth gasps. "That would mean she was trying to make sure she didn't get pregnant from her night with Ric. Stupid girl didn't even think to use protection. Not that it helped me any."

She gently rubs her belly, silently thanking ELQ for distributing faulty condoms.

"Um, Elizabeth," Epiphany alerts her. "You might want to read a little further. Clinics don't normally give out that pill just because a woman comes in and wants one. They do testing and counseling and make sure the situation really warrants it. And according to them, this situation did. Look at the results from her blood test."

Elizabeth scans the files, seeing a couple of names that don't immediately ring a bell with her.

"So what? She was doing drugs? So she's not only a home wrecking slut, but she's a drug addicted home wrecking slut?"

"I don't think she took those drugs by choice," Epiphany says quietly, suddenly feeling very sick to her stomach at what she's reading. "Someone gave her the date rape drug, Elizabeth."

"Are you saying someone gave her roofies and then had sex with her? That's rape!"

"Not someone, Elizabeth. Ric."

"No. I don't believe that. Jason said himself that she was all over Ric. She couldn't have been that drugged."

"The other drug is ecstasy. It would have kept her awake, but still unaware and prone to hallucinations. I used to work at a clinic. So I've seen that particular combination before and the effects it has on its victims. If Ric gave those drugs to Sam, then there's no doubt in my mind that what happened between them was rape."

"That's _if_ he gave those drugs to Sam. What if he didn't? What if she's the one who took them voluntarily? What if she drugged him? What if she went out later and hooked up with someone else? I'm not going to jump to the conclusion that my husband is a rapist because of something Sam said. For all I know, she could have planted these results. We don't know that this is even real."

"Get real, Elizabeth. I'm not saying that Sam is dumb, but do you really think she'd even know how to spell _methylenedioxymethamphetamine_ let alone what it's used for? You're a medical professional and didn't even know what those drugs were. You need to face the facts. Perhaps Sam isn't the evil home wrecker you assumed her to be. Perhaps Sam is just a victim in all this. She's gets shot, then dumped by the man who loves her, then she's raped by her step father, only to find out that the man she loves cheated on her with another woman and got her pregnant. Then she nearly dies, and loses her unborn child, to a medical "accident" that happened right here in this hospital."

"Sam is far from innocent," Elizabeth says, rolling her eyes.

"Really? Well, it sounds to me like the woman can't catch a break. I don't blame her for wanting to hold onto a man like Jason."

"I'm sorry, but I can't scrape up any sympathy for the woman who's keeping my child from having a father."

"Could be," Epiphany shrugs. "But, my son has been working for him for a long time. Jason Morgan seems like a man who knows his own mind. If he doesn't want to be with you and your baby, I don't think it's because of Sam."

"Are you saying I forced him out of his child's life?"

"Depends on what kind of choice you gave him."

"A simple one. His child or Sam. He chose Sam. End of story."

"No, it's not. Are you serious, Elizabeth? What did you expect? For him to leave the woman he loves and move in with you and the kids and play daddy in your happy family scenario?" Epiphany asks her incredulously.

"My child deserves a full time father."

"Every child does, Elizabeth. In an ideal world, every child would be raised by both his father and his mother living together happily under the same roof. But what kind of life would your child have if his father was miserable every day?"

"Jason and I have been friends for a long time. Several times, we were close to being more than that. If Sam weren't around, we would be able to have something special."

"But Sam is around. And he loves her. And you're punishing him for that. You're taking away access to his child because he won't leave Sam for you. Then you're blaming Sam for making him choose her over you."

"No, he chose Sam over his baby."

"This isn't about the baby, Elizabeth, and you know it. This is about you and how you want Jason. My mistake was believing that he actually wanted you too, but he doesn't, does he? He wants Sam. He loves Sam. He wants to be with Sam. She's not trying to trap him with a baby or forcing him to do anything. That's just what you wanted to believe about her. But it's not true, is it?"

"Jason would be with me if Sam would just let him," Elizabeth maintains. "That is the only truth that matters."

Elizabeth grabs her stuff and storms off, grateful that the elevator is there to take her from that dreaded floor. She can't believe Epiphany taking Sam's side like that. She thought Epiphany was a friend. Apparently not.

"Elizabeth, Darling!" Her grandmother calls out to her when she exits the elevator. "What on earth are you doing here? You shouldn't be working still."

"I'm not, technically. I had an appointment today and I needed to get things settled with my maternity leave. My impromptu vacation a few weeks ago kind of messed things up."

"Well, you needed the break," Audrey nods. "Things are going to get hectic once the baby arrives."

Elizabeth gives her a weak smile, not enjoying the fact that she lied to her grandmother about the real reason she was gone for all that time. But no one, especially not her Gram, can know what she did to Sam to make her lose her baby. So everyone has to believe she took a pre-baby vacation when she really was in hiding.

"Are you here alone, Dear? Where's Jason? I thought he was bringing you to your appointments."

"Not anymore, Gram," Elizabeth sighs. "I think Sam finally succeeded in turning him completely against me. He acts like he doesn't even want anything to do with me."

"That's terrible. First Lucky leaves you alone and pregnant. Now Jason, the man who got you into this trouble, desserts you as well. I thought that young man knew more about responsibility than that."

"It's okay, Gram. He'll come around. And it's not him so much as it's Sam. She just refuses to let him do the right thing by me and his baby."

"Well, what can you expect from a woman like her?"

Elizabeth gives her grandmother a shocked look.

"I'm old, but I'm not entirely out of the loop, Darling. I know about the way she seduced her poor sick mother's husband. That's just reprehensible!"

"Well, that's Sam," Elizabeth shrugs before leaning over to kiss Audrey's cheek. "I need to go. I have to get Cam from daycare and head home."

"Why don't you let me get him tonight for a few days. I'm sure that baby will be coming any day now and you should have some time to relax before then."

"You don't mind? Gram, that would be great. You're right, I wouldn't mind an evening alone."

She smiles and continues on out the hospital. Yes, some time alone is just what she needs. She's had a trying day. Besides, Cam doesn't need to be around when she talks to Ric about Sam's accusations. The man deserves to know what she's saying about him. Sam is beyond sick. As a former rape victim, Elizabeth is disgusted that Sam would use that as an excuse for her actions. Elizabeth is not going to let her get away with it.

- - -

"Come in."

Ric ushers his guest inside the house, anxiety rushing through his blood. They go back into his office to avoid being seen together. Elizabeth said she had a late shift at the hospital, so they should have time. But he doesn't want to take any chances.

"So you've decided what you want to do?"

Ric looks at his friend, Randy Cleary, and nods.

"You're in this as deep as I am, now. So if I go down, you're going down with me," Ric warns him.

"I'm a judge," the man shrugs. "Trust me. Neither of us will be going down for this. Just so long as you remember what you promised what you'd do for me once you're mayor."

"I remember. You've got as much at stake in all this as I do. It'll keep us both honest."

Ric fixes them both a drink before getting down to business.

"So what have you decided?" Randy asks him.

"I've decided that it happens tonight. I can't wait for the baby to be born. Actually, I don't _want_ to wait for the baby to be born. Not anymore. Not the way they so callously stole my own daughter away from me. They're going to pay for that. Starting with Jason Morgan. By the time we're done with him, he's going to have nothing. No Elizabeth. No baby. And what's worse, he'll be on his way to death row for killing them."

Elizabeth stands frozen, a look of horror on her face. The hand she had raised to knock on the door to Ric's office remains frozen in the air while the other moves protectively to her belly. She can't believe what she just heard. What she's still hearing.

"Are you going to use the drugs?"

"Maybe on him. Not on Elizabeth, though. While they served their purpose with Sam, she still fought me tooth and nail that night because she flat out didn't want me. I won't need them for Elizabeth. She'll willingly allow that loser into her bed."

"So you're going to drug Jason, put him into bed with Elizabeth to let her have her way with him, then kill her, leaving the evidence all over Jason with no real memory of what happened because of the drugs. That's slick. That's smart," Randy compliments him. "There's no way I'd let him off for that."

_No_, Elizabeth nearly gasps aloud. But she's smart enough to keep herself hidden from the men. She has to get out of there. She has to go. She can't believe everyone was right. Ric is a rapist. And he's a murderer. He's going to kill her. And she has no clue on how to stop him.

So she just runs. And she prays that she'll run into someone who will help her.

To be continued . . .


	22. Chapter 22

In the Midst of It All  
Chapter 22

* * *

It's been a long, hard day for her. He watches her spend yet another hour staring out the window. The kids have occupied themselves with some toys on the other side of the room, so he takes a few minutes to just watch her. He wonders what she's thinking. A part of him wishes he had just let her go off and kill Ric and put them out of their misery. But he knows that would have only caused even more problems for them.

"Daddy's sad," Tessa whispers to Trent, piling up the blocks again just for the little boy to tear down with his toy truck. "I think a hug will make him feel better."

The little boy gives her a smile and takes her hand as they walk over to where Jason is sitting. They startle him when they climb up into his lap.

"Daddy sad?" Trent says, staring intently into Jason's eyes.

"Yeah, Buddy," Jason sighs. "Daddy's sad. So is . . ."

It takes him that long to realize what just happened.

"Did you just . . . Tessa, did you just hear him speak?"

"Yep," she giggles, clapping her hands with glee. "Say it again, TJ."

"Daddy sad!"

"No. Daddy's not sad anymore," Jason laughs, turning his head to Sam. She's facing them now, with tears streaming down her face. "Did you hear him? Trent, say something to Mommy."

"Daddy sad!" the little boy screeches, getting into the game now.

"Come here, Little One," Sam smiles, wiping the tears from her face. This time, they're happy tears. Tears of joy. "You have made me feel so much better, do you know that? Both of you have," she adds while wrapping an arm around Tessa, too.

"I was just thinking about the raw deal we've been dealt. But it's times like that," Jason sighs, giving a little shrug. "It's times like this when I feel like I'm on the top of the world. I feel like the luckiest man alive."

"We have a good life now," she agrees. "It's easy to get caught up in our own mess and forget that."

"I love you," Jason smiles, leaning over to give Sam a kiss.

"Love you," Trent mimics, nearly bringing Sam to tears again. Especially when he gives her a kiss, too.

"Hey, get your own woman," Jason teases, pulling Trent off Sam's lap. He stands up and whirls the little boy over his head, causing the child to break out in a fit of giggles so loud that they don't hear the knock at the door.

"I'll get it," Sam says, standing up to go to the door. She's surprised at who she sees on the other side. "Mrs. Hardy? This is a surprise. Is everything okay? Is it Elizabeth and the baby?"

She nearly panics, figuring there's no other reason the woman would be at her house.

"Jason," she calls, trying to get his attention. "The baby . . ."

"No, it's not the baby," Audrey interrupts her. "May I come in?"

"Of course. I'm sorry," Sam says, stepping out of the way so that Audrey can come in. "Have a seat. Tessa, sweetie. Where did your daddy go?"

"Kitchen," Tessa says quietly, holding securely onto Sam's leg while staring at the stranger before her.

"Daddy?" Audrey is curious.

"Jason and I decided on a more untraditional approach to parenthood," Sam explains. "Tessa and her little brother Trent needed a home, so we gave them one."

"I see," Audrey says, pursing her lips in disapproval. Especially when Jason comes back in the room with the happiest toddler she's ever seen riding on his shoulders.

"Mrs. Hardy. What are you doing here?" he asks curiously.

Sam reads the look on Audrey's face as she eyes the children. Not wanting them to hear anything she has to say, Sam sends them upstairs. Tessa pouts for a minute, her curiosity at what's about to happen at full force, but she obediently takes the baby upstairs.

"If there's something bothering you, you should just say what it is," Sam tells her, jumping straight to the heart of the matter. "But I don't care how shocked or offended you are. It's extremely rude to come into my home and glare at my children."

"Believe my, Young Lady. You haven't heard rude, yet," Audrey snaps. "You have some nerve. Both of you do. My granddaughter was good enough for you to lay with, Jason, but not to raise a family with?"

"What's this about? Did she send you here?" Jason asks, his mood turning cold and dark.

"Elizabeth is exhausted. She's at the end of a very long pregnancy that you are partially responsible for. Yet, she's out at her doctor's appointments all alone because you've decided that you're through with her. And now you're here "playing" daddy to a couple of kids you and this woman have picked up?"

"This woman?" Sam asks, offended at her tone. "What do you mean by that?"

"No offense, Mrs. Hardy. But you have no idea what's going on," Jason says, trying to diffuse the volatile situation. "I don't know what Elizabeth has told you, but it's her choice that she's in the situation she's in. She wants what she cannot have."

"What? A father for her child? Is that too much to ask?"

"No, it isn't. And I offered her that. She wouldn't accept it. She wants all or nothing. She gave me a choice: be a husband to her and a father to her children or have no part in my child's life."

"You must have misunderstood," Audrey insists.

"Elizabeth and I understand each other perfectly well, Mrs. Hardy. I've made it clear that I love Sam and that she's a part of my life. Elizabeth has made it clear that as long as Sam is a part of my life, then my child cannot be."

"Well, can you blame her?" She gives Sam a haughty glare that leaves no doubt what she feels for the younger woman.

"Excuse me?" Sam asks, becoming more and more insulted with each passing minute. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that your actions leave a lot to be desired. You have a tendency to take things that don't belong to you. You seduced and slept with your mother's husband. You took the life of that young man, Diego Alcazar just because he got in your way. And now, you're taking Jason from the family he should be building with Elizabeth and her children. Have you no shame? How could you steal a child's father?"

"Is that what she's telling people? That I stole Jason? That I'm forcing him to stay with me? That I'm keeping Jason from being a part of his child's life?"

"Elizabeth told me about the marriage proposal he offered her," Audrey says. "Next thing I know, the two of you have snuck off and he's married you instead. Sounds like thievery to me."

"She's really got you thinking that I'm forcing Jason to be with me?" Sam asks incredulously.

"Maybe not forced, per se. More like enchanted. You have plenty of feminine wiles that you don't seem at all shy about using."

"So now you're calling me a slut?" Sam shrieks.

"No, of course not. I don't allow filthy words like that to come from my mouth. But if the shoe fits . . ."

"All right, that's enough," Jason says, finally breaking between the two of them. "Mrs. Hardy, you are way out of line. I am with Sam because I want to be with Sam. When I proposed to Elizabeth, it was because I felt sorry for her and felt I needed to take care of her. Luckily, she turned me down and soon after, Sam and I reconciled. For months Elizabeth lied about that baby's paternity. And when she finally told me the truth, I offered to take responsibility. But that doesn't mean breaking the promises I made to Sam. I'm sorry if Elizabeth cannot understand that. And I'm sorry she can't accept the fact that Sam is my wife and that I love her. But I'm not going to run out on my family just because it's what Elizabeth wants. And if she were really concerned about the baby, she'd realize that forcing me to marry her would not benefit either of the children.

"Sam has gone out of her way to be understanding and accepting of this situation. I cheated on her, Mrs. Hardy. No matter what stories you think you've heard about her, I'm the one at fault here. I betrayed her love and trust and ended up getting another woman pregnant. She's not only been wonderful enough to take me back, but she's willing to welcome my child with open arms. Do you want me to take you upstairs and show you the preparations that she alone has made for a child that I can't seem to stop resenting? At this point in time, as ashamed as I am to admit it, Sam is the only person in this house willing to welcome Elizabeth's child. And Elizabeth only has herself to blame for that."

Audrey lifts her hand to her mouth in shock, not only at the way Jason speaks to her, but also at the things he says.

"How could you speak that way about my granddaughter?"

"You know what, Jason? You're wasting your breath. I'm tired of putting up with this. You want me gone, Mrs. Hardy? Fine. I'm gone. Now you can't blame me when your precious granddaughter gets her heart ripped out."

"Sam, wait . . . " Jason calls out, but finds himself only speaking to the slamming door.

--

With all the plans set and ready to go into action, Ric and his partner in crime enjoy one last glass of scotch along with a cigar.

"After tonight, the worst will be over," Ric says, exhaling a puff of smoke between his lips. "My wife will be dead and my brother and that brain dead partner of his will be on their way to jail."

"And you, my friend, will be on your way to the mayor's office. Just so long as you don't forget . . ." Randy sits up in his chair, a sound from the outer room reaching his ears. "Did you hear that?"

"No," Ric shrugs. "How much have you had to drink?"

"Not that much," Randy says, rising from his chair. He tips to the door of the office and quietly opens it, looking out into the hall. Not seeing anything, he walks back into the living room, his mouth falling open when he sees the front door swinging back and forth.

"Could have been the wind," Ric suggests, but his heart sinks when he sees the still steaming cup of tea on the table by the front door.

"Elizabeth!" he calls out. He hears nothing from in the house. Instead, he hears a car door slamming outside. He screams out again, "Elizabeth!!"

"Don't let her get away, Ric," Randy demands. "She might have overheard something."

Elizabeth throws the car into gear and careens from the driveway, tossing a panicked look over her shoulder.

"Yeah. I think it's a good bet that she heard us," Ric nods, his face growing red with fury. He grabs his coat and keys and runs out to his own car. Randy's close behind him, jumping into the car merely a second before Ric takes off after Elizabeth.

They drive for a few minutes, the icy conditions of the road making things difficult for them. When they reach the corner, they have to take a guess which direction she turned.

"Look at the tire tracks in the road," Randy points out. "She went that way."

A few more miles down the road, they get to her car . . . abandoned at the side of the road.

"Is she crazy? Why did she get out?" Ric wants to know.

"Her car skidded and hit that tree. Looks like she got out and is trying to make a run for it. Through the woods."

"If she makes it out alive, she'll come out in the park down the street from Kelly's," Ric figures, mapping out mentally the layout of the city. "If we drive over there, we should get there just as she's emerging. I won't let her ruin my plans now."

Ric puts the car in reverse and navigates the car across town. His wife will pay most dearly for messing with his plans. Her death was supposed to be a no brainer. He never imagined having to chase her down. For this inconvenience, he's going to have to make her suffer.

--

Running through the trees, the icy branches slap against her face leaving scratches and scrapes that she doesn't allow herself to feel. If she gave into the pain, she would only collapse to the ground and cry until Ric finds her. And when Ric finds her, he's going to kill her. She refuses to let that happen.

"Help," she calls out in winded gasps, hoping someone is close enough to hear her. "Help me, please."

She continues to run, able to see the lights from the park as she gets closer to civilization again. If she can make it there, then she can make it to help. Kelly's is just down the street and around the corner. Someone will be there who can protect her.

Her steps begin to slow as a pulsing pain spreads from her lower back all the way across her abdomen. The ache takes her breath away and forces her to her knees.

"No!" she screams. "Not now. Baby, please not now."

When the pain recedes, she stumbles back to her feet and make it just to the edge of the park when another strikes. Again she screams in agony. She hears footsteps approaching and can only pray that it's not Ric coming after her.

"Help," she whimpers, clutching her stomach.

"Miss, are you all right?" A woman's voice. Good. That means it's not Ric. She doesn't have to fight.

"My baby," Elizabeth gasps, grabbing out for the stranger's hand. With help, she gets to her feet. But only ends up letting out another gasp as she lifts her head.

"Not you! What are you doing running through the woods in your condition?"

"Yell at me later, Sam," Elizabeth snaps. "I'm in labor and just found out that my husband is trying to kill me. Help me!"

Sam takes offense at the snippy tone, but she sees real fear in Elizabeth's eyes. No matter what she's done, neither she nor her baby deserves to be on the run in the snow from a psychotic maniac.

"Come with me," Sam sighs, taking Elizabeth's hand again. "I'll take you to the hospital."

"Hurry," Elizabeth whimpers, looking over her shoulder even as they get closer to the car.

Sam helps her get strapped inside before going around to get into the driver's side. But relief doesn't come. As soon as Sam starts the car and pull out into the street, they see another car coming straight at them. A car that doesn't seem to be stopping.

"It's Ric!" Elizabeth screams. "Go!"

Sam briefly considers the gun she knows is in the glove box, but thinks again as the car's speed increases the closer it gets to them.

"He really isn't going to stop, is he?" Sam asks, suddenly shocked into action. She puts the car into reverse and backs up into a spin. She shifts to drive and takes off, knowing that her hesitation cost them precious time.

"Hold on," she warns Elizabeth as she begins fleeing in earnest. "This is going to be a bumpy ride."

The elements prove to be too much for Sam and her car begins to spin out of control. Just when she thinks she's corrected the problem, she looks in her rear view mirror just in time to feel Ric's car ram into hers.

"He's insane," she screams, not knowing where to increase her speed and risk the slippery roads or slow down and risk being rammed by Ric again.

"Don't let him get me, please," Elizabeth cries. "He's going to kill me and frame Jason for the murder. I overheard him talking tonight in his office."

"I'm doing the best I can," Sam argues. "He's trying to run me off the road."

She braces for another hit from Ric's car, working to keep the car in control rather than evade him. This time the car is struck on the driver's side, causing the airbag to inflate and completely obstruct her view. Her world begins to spin as gravity seemingly loses its effect on her. Only after the third time around does she realize the car is flipping over and over, landing on its roof and sliding quickly to the unknown. They hit something with a thud and a sharp blow to her head renders her unconscious.

To be continued . . .


	23. Chapter 23

IN THE MIDST OF IT ALL  
Chapter 23

* * *

"Tell me something good, Stan."

Frantic about Sam, Jason all but shoved Audrey Hardy out of the apartment and then ran down to the parking garage to see which vehicle Sam took. Luckily, she drove one of the cars with the tracking device inside. Finding her will be as simple as contacting Stan to get the coordinates. Hopefully she hadn't gone too far.

"Kids are settled up in your bed watching a movie," Gia says, coming down the stairs. "They sensed something was wrong and wanted to be close to Sam. Are you sure she just took off? I don't see her just leaving like that."

"She was mad," Jason says, on hold with Stan. "Audrey Hardy has been buying into all the lies and manipulations from Elizabeth and Sam just had enough. I don't blame her for walking out. I could see that she really wanted to hurt that woman."

"You'll find her," Gia assures him. "Don't worry about the kids. Cruz and I will watch them."

He holds his finger up to signal to Gia to hold on a minute while Stan gives him the coordinates of the vehicle Sam took.

"She didn't go far," Jason explains after hanging up the phone. "Just on the county road out by the park. I think she just wanted some time alone to think."

He sighs his relief. He realizes he should probably give her some time alone, but he feels the sudden need to go after her, just to make sure she's okay. But despite what his instincts are saying, the thought that something might actually be wrong with her never occurs to him.

Not until Cruz Rodriguez walks into the penthouse.

"Bad news," he frowns. "I just got a call. I'm going to have to bail on babysitting. Gia, you can handle both the kids, right?"

"What's going on?" Jason asks curiously.

"Big accident. It's pretty bad from what I hear. They're saying a car lost control, skidded, hit a tree and exploded on impact. It would have been much worse if this had happened on a busy road, but this time of night, the county road near the park is . . ."

"Wait, what did you say?" Jason asks, his heart suddenly pounding in his chest. "The county road? Did you just say the county road?"

Jason grabs the lapels on Cruz's jacket and shakes the man before he realizes what he's doing.

"Calm down, Jason. What's the matter?"

"Sam," is all Jason gets out before rushing out the door.

"Go with him," Gia orders, grabbing Jason's coat from the closet and giving it to Cruz. "He just got word that the car Sam is driving was out on that road."

"Oh, no," Cruz says, shaking his head. "No wonder he's frantic."

He leans over and presses a quick kiss to Gia before rushing out the apartment after Jason. He catches up to him and guides him to his official police vehicle.

"I'll drive," Jason grunts, determined to get to the accident site.

"Ride with me," Cruz insists. "This is official police business. There's going to be less red tape to worry about if we're in my car. I can probably get you on the scene without anyone noticing."

Jason just nods and gets into the car. Red tape or not, nothing would stop him from getting to Sam if she's out there. But Cruz is right. No need making things harder than they need to be.

The scenery flashes by and before Jason realizes, they're pulling up to a place already busy with two fire engines, an ambulance, and several police cars. He jumps out the car and sticks close to Cruz as they weave their way through the various rescue workers.

"What do we have here?" Cruz asks someone who appears to be in charge.

"Just like I told you on the phone. Car skidded, hit a tree and exploded. The bodies are over there being loaded now. One died on impact. The other . . . well, might as well be."

Jason's knees almost buckle, but he manages to catch himself. He has to be strong right now. He won't believe anything until he sees it with his own eyes.

"Any ID on them?" Cruz asks, cringing at the insensitive nature the officer is giving his report. He sends a worried glance in Jason's direction, concerned at what the man will do if . . . he won't even finish that thought. None of them will be the same if Sam's gone.

"The deceased is one Randall Cleary," the officer recites from his notes.

"The judge?"

"The very same. The driver, we're assuming, is DA Lansing because that's who the car is registered to. They'll run more tests at the hospital and we'll know for sure."

"But they're both definitely males," Cruz wants to clear up, letting Jason know that neither victim is Sam.

"Both males," the officer confirms. "But there's evidence there was another car. It went over the edge. We don't know who was in that car."

"Where's the other car?" Jason asks frantically. The officer looks at Cruz and after getting his approval, takes Jason to the side of the road that leads to a steep drop off.

"We're coordinating the rescue team now to see if there are any survivors," the officer explains.

"You coordinate. I'm going now."

"Jason, wait," Cruz calls out to him, grabbbing the man's arm to stop him. "It's dark and it's icy. You have no idea what kind of terrain you're going to encounter going down that cliff. You don't even know if Sam is . . ."

"She is," Jason says with assurance. "She's down there and she's alive. And I'm going to get her."

"Hold on a minute," Cruz sighs, looking around until he finds what he's looking for. He grabs a rope, an emergency kit and a two way radio headset off the back of the fire truck and hands them to Jason. "Since I can't talk you out of this, you may as well be equipped.

Jason nods his thanks and takes the stuff, tying the rope around his waist and securing it to the back of the fire truck. He starts his descent.

--

Pain. That's all she feels. It explodes in her head the minute she opens her eyes. She lets out a groan and briefly wonders where she is and how she got there. Then she remembers it all. Finding Elizabeth in the park and then being chased by Ric as he tried to kill them. The car started to flip and . . . that's all she remembers.

"Elizabeth?" she calls out, wondering if the other woman is in any better shape than she is. "Elizabeth, can you hear me?"

Sam painfully turns her head to look in the passenger seat and is dismayed to find its occupant unconscious. She's going to be no help figuring out their escape. If there is going to be an escape, Sam amends. Looking around, things look pretty hopeless. She can't see a way out of the car and if the pain in her leg is any indication, she won't be able to walk very far even if she could get out.

She tries to catalog her injuries, grateful for the sensation in all her extremities. Grateful that the only pain are the ones in her head and leg. Things could have been a lot worse.

She next checks on Elizabeth, remembering the woman telling her that she was in labor. She doesn't get much further than her rock hard stomach before the worry really sinks in. Elizabeth's contractions seem to be coming pretty fast and pretty furious for her stomach to remain so rigid.

"Elizabeth, don't think I'm getting fresh with you," she calls to the woman, hoping to reach through the darkness and wake her up. "I just have to check on the baby."

Fortunately Elizabeth is wearing a dress which makes a quick check fairly simple. But the quick check turns into horror when Sam sees the last thing she was expecting.

"No!" she gasps, scrambling around for a moment, at a loss at what to do. "Elizabeth, wake up now. Your baby is coming!"

Elizabeth doesn't budge. And the labor isn't stopping.

"What am I going to do?" she screams, not expecting an answer. But more surprised than ever when she gets one in the form of a knock on the window. She's so surprised that she lets out another scream.

"Sam," she hears. "Sam, are you in there?"

"Jason? Jason is that you?"

The sounds from the outside of the car continue to come, though they're indistinguishable. She can't hear a word of what Jason is saying. But she's comforted knowing that it is Jason who's out there. He's come to rescue her. He'll know what to do.

Suddenly, she hears a phone ringing, recognizing the distinctive ring tone as her own.

"Phone, phone," she mumbles. "Where are you? A ha!"

Her hand wraps around the phone somewhere near her foot and pulls it up to her ear.

"Jason?"

"Sam, thank God you're all right. But you're stuck pretty good, Baby. It's going to take awhile to get you out."

"Jason, you have to help me. Elizabeth is in labor. The baby is coming now!"

"What are you talking about? Elizabeth is in there with you?"

"I ran into her at the park. She was terrified, telling me some story about Ric trying to kill her. I got her to the car, but Ric came after us and ran us off the road."

She hears Jason repeat her words and realizes he's talking to someone else.

"The paramedic says to ask Elizabeth how far apart her contractions are."

"She's unconscious, Jason. And when I checked on her, I saw the baby crowning. It's coming now. We need to get her some help."

A long silence from Jason starts to worry her. There's something he's not telling her.

"Jason? What's really going on? Help is on the way, right?"

"Sam . . ."

"Jason, just tell me," she says, her breath hitching because she can tell from his tone that something is definitely wrong.

"You know where you were when the car started to flip, right?"

"County Road, just down from the park. Why do you ask?"

"You went off the road."

It takes her a minute, but she finally realizes what he's getting at.

"Off the road and over the edge of the cliff, you mean? Are you telling me we're about to plunge a thousand feet into the rapids below?"

"The car is caught on a ledge right now and it's being held up by a tree. I honestly don't know how to get you out of there without risking the car going over."

She closes her eyes as a tear leaks out. Her situation seems hopeless. But there has to be something they can do.

"What if I can roll down the window. Can you pull Elizabeth out and get her to the hospital?"

"Her stomach will never fit. But you will," he points out. "Let's get you out and then worry about Elizabeth later."

"Jason, she's unconscious. And the baby's going to be here any minute. I can't leave her."

"Why not? Sam, the rescue team is up there. They'll be able to help her. I can take you now if you can get that window rolled down."

"I can't leave her, Jason. I can't leave your baby . . . the baby!" she suddenly gasps. "It's coming."

She pushes the phone on speaker and drops it while she moves into a better position to get the baby.

"Jason, the head is all the way out."

She hears him repeat those words and several seconds later, a more distant voice echoes in the night. She realizes now that he's communicating through a two way radio with someone up at the crash site. He's telling them the situation and they are relaying what he should be doing to help. Right now, she just prays someone up there knows anything about delivering a baby.

"Sam, can you see if the cord is around the baby's neck?"

"No, everything looks fine."

"Okay, don't pull the baby. Just support its head until the shoulders emerge on their own."

"They're coming now," she practically screams. She braces herself when one shoulder, then the other comes out. Then the baby all but shoots out into her hands. "Jason! The baby . . . it's a boy. Oh! Hello, there, little guy."

The baby blinks curiously before letting out a healthy scream that Jason hears through the phone as well as through the closed car.

"I guess that means he's breathing," Jason says, pulling his ear away from the phone as the cries get louder and more desperate. Finally the baby starts to settle down and Jason hears a sniffle from Sam that concerns him. "Sam, are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she sighs, blinking away her tears. "I'm holding your child in my arms, Jason. I can't believe it."

"Sam . . . "

"No, really. I'm fine. But he needs to be checked out. I just tied off and cut the umbilical cord with a knife I found in the glove box. Not exactly the most sterile of environments, so he's going to need to get to the hospital as soon as possible. Elizabeth, too."

She starts pulling at the exploded air bag to get it out of her way and wraps the massive material around the baby to keep him as warm as possible. With her view no longer obstructed by the huge balloon, she's finally able to see the precarious position the car is in.

She takes a deep breath and closes her eyes for a moment to block it out. Now is not the time for fear. She has to be strong until they're rescued.

"Jason! You're going to kill yourself! What are you doing?" she asks when she finally spots him hanging merely by a rope that's been wrapped around his body.

"I came to get you. I was serious, Sam. I'm not leaving you down here."

She rolls down the window and gives him the tiny bundle.

"Your son," she says tearfully as he takes the baby. "Take him and come back for us."

"I'll be right back," he promises before letting the people above know that he's ready to be lifted up. He holds onto the rope with one hand and has the baby cradled in the other.

His trip up seems to take forever for Sam. But it's for the best. It'll give her the time to do what she has to do. Jason won't like it, but it's the right thing.

Jason reaches the top and all but tosses the baby at the paramedic, eager to get back down.

"I'm going to need another rope," he calls to someone. "One woman is conscious, the other is still out."

Instead of just rope, he gets two rescue workers suited up to go back down with him.

"This is going to have to be quick," Jason warns him. "The slightest breeze could send that car over the edge. Let's go."

He doesn't give them a chance to comment before heading back down again. All they can do is follow him.

Jason gets to the car first and stops the rescue workers short with his angry curses.

"Sam! What are you doing?"

In the time that it took him to go up, drop the baby off, and come back down, Sam had managed to change places with Elizabeth. He can't imagine the struggles she had moving the dead weight of the other woman into the best position to be extracted from the car.

"She needs help, Jason. You would have taken me and left her if I left the choice up to you," Sam explains as calmly as she can.

"I'm not leaving you behind again."

"Just take her, Jason," Sam pleads. "The faster you take her, the faster you'll get back to me."

Without so much of the bulge from the baby, Elizabeth is more easily maneuvered through the open window. They can only be grateful she's unconscious or else the pain from the way her body's being moved would probably prove too much for her.

"I got her," Jason calls up to someone Sam can't see. "This is the one who just gave birth. She's still unconscious."

Between the two rescue workers, they manage to secure Elizabeth as much as they can before starting back up with her. Sam lets out a sigh of relief to see them slowly, but surely heading towards safety.

"I told you I wasn't leaving you," Jason tells her, grabbing onto her outstretched arms. But before he can get a good grip on her, the car starts to shift and slide out of its place. It tips onto its side and the sudden motion makes her lose her balance. She falls to what is now the floor of the car, getting wedged between the dash and the door.

"Sam!" Jason shouts, frantic now that he's unable to reach her. He downright panics the car starts to rock back and forth.

"Jason, the car's about to fall!"

"I'm not going to let you fall, Baby," he swears.

With no options left, Jason does what could only be described as a headfirst dive into the car and reaches blindly for Sam, praying that he actually gets a good grip on her.

She must have realized his intentions and reaches out at the very moment he's reaching for her.

"Pull us up now," he yells into his headset, grunting at the force of the rope tightening around him. It momentarily takes his breath away, but he manages to keep a grip on Sam.

Just as the two of them are lifted from the car, gravity finally wins the battle, sending the car crashing to the rocks below.

Too close, Jason thinks to himself. That was just too close. He gets a tighter grip on Sam's hands and realizes that it's going to be a long, long time before he ever lets go of her again.

TBC . . .


	24. Chapter 24

IN THE MIDST OF IT ALL  
Chapter 24

* * *

The night never seems longer to Jason than when he's sitting at the side of Sam's hospital bed, praying for her to be fine. It's happened too many times in the short time they've been together - both her miscarriages, gunshot wounds, a deadly virus. And now this. Even though the doctors assured him she'd be fine, he still won't be able to relax until she wakes up.

"How is she?"

Jason turns around and finds his mother standing in the door way. He must be really out of it if she didn't even hear her come in.

"You'd know better than me," Jason shrugs. "Her doctors haven't been in yet today, but they said last night that everything went fine with the surgery on her leg. Fortunately, other than a few scratches on her face and arms, the broken leg was the only injury. She was lucky."

"She is lucky," Monica agrees. "She's lucky she has you. From what I hear, it might have been too late for her and Elizabeth if you hadn't gone down to get them. And it definitely would have been too late for the baby."

"Sam delivered the baby. And she's the one who saved Elizabeth's life. She's the real hero."

Monica agrees silently. They're both heroes. And when Sam gets out of here, she's going to make sure they know how aprreciated they are. She knows Jason doesn't go for all the family stuff, but enough is enough. It's been over ten years that they've been giving him wide berth. Like it or not, they are his family. And now that he has a family of his own, he's just going to have to learn to deal with them. She refuses to miss even one day of her new grandson's life. A grandson that oddly enough, Jason hasn't even asked about yet.

"Jason, have you gone in to see the baby yet? He's beautiful."

He just shakes his head, lowering his eyes so that she cannot look in them and see his true feelings on he matter.

"Not yet," he finally says. "I need to be here for Sam. I need to be here when she wakes up."

"But, Jason. He's your son."

"My son," Jason shrugs. "What does that mean? I feel nothing for that kid, Monica. Michael was my son. Lila and Hope were my daughters. Tessa and Trent are my kids now. This baby . . . I feel nothing for him. And I'm afraid that if I even look at him, I'll see Elizabeth. And all the hate I have for her will spill over onto him."

"No. It won't," Monica says with gentle smile. "Trust me, Jason. That's not going to happen. What's going to happen is what happened when I held you in my arms for the first time. At that moment, you became the love of my life. You touched my heart in a way that not even Alan or my own two natural children did. Even though I didn't even want to look at you when Alan first brought you home, you became my heart, Jason."

He remains silent, but she can see he's thinking about what she said. That's good for now. It's all she can do. She leans over and kisses Sam on the forehead before repeating the action with Jason, ruffling his hair a bit on her way out the door.

"Your mom is right, you know," Sam says, her eyes still closed, but fully conscious. She woke up about halfway through Monica's visit, but didn't want to interrupt them.

"I was wondering how long you were going to play possum," he smiles, giving her a long, thorough kiss that wakes her all the way up.

"You knew I was awake?"

"I know exactly when you woke up." He kisses her again, this time on the hand he has clutched in between his own two hands. "How are you feeling?"

"My leg is aching a bit. But not as much as I know it should be. They got me on some pretty good drugs, huh?"

"Yeah, the best. It was a bad break, but pretty clean. They only had to put one pin in your leg. You were lucky."

"What about everyone else? How are they?"

"Ric is critical. His car exploded and he was unrecognizable when they pulled him out of the fire. He's got third degree burns over a large portion of his body. They don't expect him to make it."

"Does it make me a bad person that don't even feel bad about that?" Sam asks.

"If it does, then I must be worse because I feel like throwing him a going away party."

"That is pretty bad," she giggles, but then forces herself to stop thinking ill of the 'almost' dead. "What about Elizabeth? What about the baby?"

He shrugs.

"Monica just told me that the baby is fine. That's all I know."

"You haven't checked on either of them?"

"You and your safety are all that I'm concerned with, Sam," he explains.

"Jason, you know I'm fine where I am. I would bet anything that you have guards posted outside my door. Go check on your son."

"You know, you and Monica calling him that won't make it anymore true in my head," he grumbles. But catching the look she shoots at him, decides it's in his best interest to do what she says. "Fine, I'll be back."

He gives her a kiss before leaving. But in an act of defiance, he takes the long way to the nursery.

--

A nurse comes in to help Sam take care of a few personal matters. She may be stuck in the hospital for a few days, but she doesn't want to look, or smell, like it.

"I still don't know what you didn't let that stud of a husband of yours do this," the much older nurse says as she helps Sam wash up. "If I were you, that door would be locked and the two of us would be in here . . . well, you know."

The nurse gives a blushing Sam a little wink before helping her back into her gown. The woman has to be at least 70. Sam can't believe the kind of talk from what looks like someone's kindly grandmother.

She's still blushing when a knock at the door interrupts the detailed story the nurse is telling her about one of her many husbands. Sam is grateful for the distraction.

"Come in," she eagerly calls out. She's both surprised and confused to see Mac Scorpio standing there. "Mac? What can I do for you?"

"We need to know what happened out there, Sam," he explains. "And you're the only one in a position to tell us anything."

"I already heard about Ric. How is Elizabeth?"

"She's still unconscious. Her grandmother says that she lost a lot of blood and picked up an infection. She's dealing with a lot of complications from the accident and giving birth and being so exposed to the elements."

"Thanks for letting me know. I was worried."

"Were you really?" Mac asks her.

His question, and his glare, make her nervous. She's confused at what he's implying. And a bit insulted as well.

"Of course I was worried," she insists indignantly. "Why do you ask?"

"Why don't we let you answer the questions. I'll do the asking. Now, you claim that Elizabeth approached you, begging for help to get away from Ric."

"That's right. I was at the park and she came running from the woods. She said she was in labor and that Ric was trying to kill her. She begged me to help her. I agreed and told her I'd take her to the hospital."

"The hospital? Your car wasn't heading towards the hospital. You were headed out of town."

"I didn't get a chance to turn around. By the time I got Elizabeth into the car, Ric was coming after us. I just had to drive. At that point, it didn't matter where I was going, just so long as it was away from Ric."

"Um hmm," he says cryptically, jotting notes down into his notebook. "So you were headed out of town with a pregnant woman in your car. A pregnant woman who was carrying the unborn child of your husband. Isn't it true that there's currently a custody case between Elizabeth and Jason regarding their child?"

Sam starts to get uncomfortable. She doesn't like the direction these questions are taking.

"What does that have to do with anything?"

He ignores her question and keeps on.

"And isn't it true that due to a drug mix up, you won't be able to have children for awhile?"

Uh oh. She's definitely sensing some trouble now.

"And isn't it true that barely an hour before you met with Elizabeth to allegedly take her to the hospital, you had an argument with her grandmother that ended abruptly with you storming angrily out of the apartment? Mrs. Hardy explained it all to me. Which is why she found your story of being Elizabeth's rescuer a bit . . . incredible."

"What are you implying, Mac?"

"I'm wondering how accurate your account of this story is. You left out a lot of pertinent details that would go to explain your motive."

"My motive for what?"

"Kidnapping. Possibly homicide. Sam, did you want Elizabeth and her baby to just go away?"

"What?" she gasps, shocked by the allegations.

"Or did you intend on just killing Elizabeth and taking the baby back to Jason for the two of you to raise?"

"Get out of here," she screams, alerting the guards outside the door. "I can't believe what you're saying. It doesn't make any sense."

"It makes more sense than believing that our DA would be trying to kill his own wife. Tell the truth, Sam. You took, Elizabeth, didn't you? And when Ric found out, he came after you to get his wife back. Tell me now and we won't worry about your intent. The charges . . ."

"Charges? You're going to arrest me?"

The guards come into the room and stand intimidatingly around Mac. But they don't scare him. He knows they know better than to harass a police officer.

"I suggest you get a lawyer, Sam. And you better pray that neither Elizabeth or Ric dies before they can confirm your story. Otherwise, you will be brought up on manslaughter charges."

The guards give Mac one more glaring look before he finally leaves. They escort him down the hall and to the elevators.

Manslaughter. She can't believe it. All she wanted was some time by herself to think and to blow off some steam before she risked punching the very elderly Audrey Hardy in her mouth. She gets dragged into the middle of Elizabeth and Ric's domestic drama and now she's the one about to take the fall for it. Unbelievable.

"Sam?" the nurse has to call out to get her attention. "I have some meds for you. The doctor wants you to stay on top of the pain in that leg."

Sam stares at the pills in her hand, wishing desperately for something very strong to wash them down with.

"You wouldn't happen to have some gin on your drug cart, would you?"

"Excuse me?" the nurse asks, not sure if she's joking or serious.

"I was kidding," Sam assures her. Partly, anyway. She really does want something to get her mind off her troubles. And no one can do that better than Jason. Too bad she sent him to visit the baby. She'll just have to track him down, there.

"Do you need anything else?"

"Just one thing," Sam tells her. "I'd like to get out of bed and move around a bit, if that's possible. You think I can get an orderly to take me down to the nursery?"

"Sure," the nurse shrugs. "I guess. Let me go grab one for you."

The orderly comes in and helps her get settled, pushing her down to the nursery. She's more than shocked to find herself getting there before Jason does.

"Took your own sweet time getting here, didn't you?" she asks, amused at how the guilt makes him blush.

"What are you doing out of bed?" he counters, not wanting her to get the upper hand. "You just got out of surgery. You should be resting."

"I couldn't. I got a visit from Mac," she explains. "It's bad. I'll tell you all about it later. I just wanted to check on the baby. Which one is he?"

"Right there. Baby Boy Webber."

"Not Baby Boy Morgan?"

"Don't start," he sighs. "Please. Let's just take this one step at a time."

"I'm sorry," she apologizes, taking her hand in his. "I know this is hard on you. But if it's about me and how I feel . . ."

"No, I know you've accepted this situation. Much better than I have, I'll admit. It just doesn't feel right to me. I don't know what it is about this situation, but . . ."

"Maybe it'll be like your mom said this morning. Maybe once you hold him, things will change."

Jason stares into the window at the baby, giving him a long, hard look.

"He is pretty cute, isn't he?" Jason asks, a small smile on his lips. "Now that he's all cleaned up and not all goopy and stuff. Babies come out looking pretty nasty. I don't think I've ever seen one right out the oven like that."

"Oven?" she laughs, looking up at him. "You are so cute."

He bends down and kisses her, noting the worry in her eyes despite her amusement.

"Let's get you back to your room," he suggests. He grabs the handles of her wheelchair and turns her around. They run into Kelly Lee on their way down the hall.

"Wait, Jason. I have some questions for Dr. Lee."

Jason turns her around again and walks towards the doctor.

"Sam. What are you doing up and around so soon?"

Jason gives her an "I told you so" look that she just ignores.

"I wanted to check on the baby. How is he doing? Will Jason and I be able to take him home with us when I leave here?"

"Over my dead body," an angry voice growls.

Sam just sighs and shakes her head when Audrey Hardy comes from around the corner. As much as she'd like to accomodate the old woman, killing her wouldn't do Sam any good. Especially considering the trouble she's already in.

"Why aren't you in jail?"

"Why would she be?" Jason asks. "For saving Elizabeth's life?"

"No, for trying to kill her to steal her baby for you!" Audrey accuses, jabbing a finger into Jason's chest. "I know how you people do things and I won't let this hussy get away with it. If you want your child, Jason, you're going to have to go through Elizabeth to get to him. I will not allow this killer anywhere near him."

"That may not be up to you, Audrey," Dr. Lee says. "The biological father is entitled to take his child home when the child is cleared for release from the hospital."

"We'll see about that," Audrey huffs before turning on her heel and stomping off.

"Well, that was . . . unpleasant," Sam says with a sigh. She frowns when she hears cacaphony of babies' cries from the nursery. "Should we go check on him? Is it time for a bottle yet? Maybe we can give it to him."

She looks hopefully up at Jason and then at Kelly, pleased when the woman nods.

"I think that should be all right. Let me go inform the nurse in charge of the babies."

Jason slowly guides the wheelchair back towards the nursery, trying hard not to seem as if he's dragging his feet. The nurse brings the baby over to Jason and he takes him in his arms while the nurse gives the bottle and a burp cloth to Sam. Jason sits in the chair next to Sam and is about to give her the baby when she gives him the bottle instead.

"Let me ask you something," Dr. Lee says to Robin as she approaches. "You know Jason pretty well, don't you?"

The woman stand at the window to the nursery and watch Jason and Sam give the baby his bottle.

"Yeah, I do," Robin nods. "That's his baby? What a cutie. I came down to get a look at him once I heard about what happened with Elizabeth."

"Does Jason look . . . comfortable to you?" Kelly asks. "He seems to be expressing some difficulty adjusting to the baby."

"Maybe he's worried about Sam's reaction. Although, she seems to be okay with the situation. Look at her face. It lights up when she looks at that baby. But you're right. Jason does look kind of cold and distant."

"You mean, more so than usual?" Kelly jokes. "That's how he always looks unless he's lighting into someone here about Sam's care. Which she tends to need a lot of. I don't think in my entire career I've ever seen another patient as often, and for as many different reasons, as I've seen Sam."

"Jason is pretty serious unless you know him. But he's usually pretty open with babies and children. It's like a gift of his or something. He's an amazing father. Even when the child isn't his. I'm just surprised he's this guarded now that he finally has his own."

"What if it's not?" Kelly practically mumbles, biting her lip when the words spill from her lips.

"What do you mean? You think he's acting that way because the baby isn't his?"

"He has good instincts, right? What if his instincts are telling him that the baby isn't his? What if his instincts are right?"

Kelly looks around, getting nervous as the hall becomes more crowded. She takes Robin by the arm and leads her into an empty break room.

"There's a pretty good chance that he isn't the baby's father. But I can't tell him that because it's a matter that I've discussed with Elizabeth as a patient. She was supposed to be getting a new test done after the baby was born."

"But she's still unconscious."

"Right. And I think I've come up with a way to get the test done without letting Jason know the real reason why one needs to get done. Then once those results come back, I'll be able to tell him the truth without breaking my confidence with Elizabeth. If I get the samples, do you think you can do a rush test for me? The lab usually sends out its DNA tests and it can take too long. I want these results today. Tomorrow at the latest."

"Of course," Robin nods. "I can run any tests you want."

"Thanks. I'll owe you."

Kelly and Robin go back to the nursery window to watch the couple again. Sam has the baby now and is burping him. The look on Jason's face is one of such awe and deep love that it makes the women blush at its intensity.

"Do you really think that baby isn't his?"

"I'm not sure," Kelly shrugs. "But he deserves to find out. They all deserve to know the truth about where that baby came from."

For some reason, Kelly Lee has a feeling they're all about to get a bigger shock than they bargained for.

TBC . . .


	25. Chapter 25

IN THE MIDST OF IT ALL  
Chapter 25

* * *

Sam wakes slowly in the tiny hospital bed. It seems even smaller with Trent curled up next to her. Jason's snoring lightly in a chair beside the bed with a sleeping Tessa tucked into his lap. What started out as some quiet time with the kids turned into nap time for all of them. The nurse must have seen them all asleep and not wanted to disturb them because Sam can tell by the throbbing in her leg that she missed a dose of pain medication. She reaches across Trent's body for the call button to alert the nurse.

The nurse comes in quietly, a gentle smile on her lips.

"Your kids are beautiful," she notes, running her hand through Trent's curly hair. "This one here is too adorable. Look at how long those eye lashes are."

The nurse makes more idle chatter to distract Sam from the pain while getting the prescribed pills.

"Dr. Lee came by earlier," the nurse continues. "She said she'll be back in about an hour before she gets off work to talk to you and your husband. Something about some tests she ran."

"Really? She wants to talk to Jason and me about them?"

"That's what she said." The nurse turns her attention to taking Sam's vital statistics, not really paying all that much attention to Sam. "Everything looks good. You'll probably be released soon."

By now, Jason is waking up and trying not to stir Tessa.

"How soon?" he asks with a yawn. He stretches the best he can, cringing when he feels the tingling in his arm that has fallen asleep.

"Maybe another day or two. Her doctor will let her know tomorrow."

The nurse makes a few more notes in Sam's chart before leaving the family for their last few minutes of visiting time.

"Should we wake them up? If they keep on sleeping this close to dinner, it'll be almost impossible to get them down at bedtime tonight."

"We'll let Carly worry about it," Jason teases. "She lets them run wild over there anyway."

"Yeah, no wonder they love going over there so much," Sam laughs, shaking her head. "I am grateful that she's been taking care of them for us, though. But I do miss them. I can't wait to get out of here, out of this cast, and back home with my babies. But what are we going to do if Elizabeth doesn't wake up soon? Like it or not, we're going to have to take her baby home with us. We'll have to hire a nanny and definitely get the nursery set up."

"We should just wait. Mrs. Hardy seems like she's ready to start trouble for us on this. And right now, I just don't have it in me to fight her on this. If she wants to keep the baby, then that's fine with me."

"So, nothing has changed for you?" Sam asks, subconsciously bundling Trent closer to her while he does the same with Tessa. "Holding him in your arms didn't make any difference?"

"It did," he says after a moment. "It helped me see that hating him wouldn't be a problem. He's a baby, Sam. He's innocent and helpless and doesn't deserve that from me. But I don't look at him and see myself. I don't hold him and feel like he's a part of my soul. It's like . . ."

He pauses to think, trying to come up with a way to explain it to her.

"Remember that day we snuck into Alcazar's and I had to take Skye's baby from you? Holding Elizabeth's baby is like when I held Lila Rae. No bond. No connection. Nothing. Just a baby to me. Like Lila Rae. Like Spencer. Like that baby belonging to the lady on the 12th floor of our building who needed help with her groceries the other day. I feel for them the same as I feel for Elizabeth's baby."

Sam is sad for him. She couldn't imagine birthing a child and feeling no connection to it. But she guesses it's different in a man's case. And even more so in Jason's case because for nearly half the pregnancy, he didn't even know about the baby. And then after, he had as little contact possible with Elizabeth, just a few appointments here and there. He didn't get the chance to bond with the baby en utero the way mothers get to. She just hopes that changes. No child deserves to feel unwanted.

"Just try to remember what you said earlier, Jason. He's just a baby. He didn't ask to be here, but he is."

"You're right," Jason sighs. "And it's our responsibiity as the adults in this situation to make sure that he is loved and feels wanted. I just wish he wasn't a package deal. I have a bad feeling that we haven't seen the worst with Elizabeth yet. Now that the baby is here, I think she'll be more determined than ever to try to make me a part of her family."

"Well, she can't have you," Sam says resolutely. "And one of these days, she'll figure that out."

"You better figure it out soon!"

Sam and Jason give each other amused looks as they hear her words echoed in a totally different context. The door flies open and Gia breezes inside, her cell phone held to her ear with one hand, and her briefcase in the other. She must be there on official business.

Gia sees the sleeping children and immediately lowers her voice, giving Sam a contrite look and mouthing the word 'Sorry' before getting back into it with the unlucky person on the other end.

They listen to her rant for a few more minutes before she hangs up the phone with one last threat.

"Don't let it happen again, or else my client will own your pitiful little station, Mr. Scorpio."

On that, she hangs up the phone and tosses it into her purse.

"Sorry again about that," she apologizes, finding another chair in the room to sit in. "That, as you probably could tell, was Mac Scorpio getting the business end of my temper over that stunt he pulled earlier with questioning you without counsel."

"It wasn't so much that," Sam says, shaking her head. "I'd answer questions all day long about Ric and what he did. That psycho tried to kill me and Elizabeth. But I just couldn't believe that Mac came here to my hospital room and accused me of being behind it all."

"He had just spoken with Mrs. Hardy," Gia tries to explain. "She filled his head with her version of events. And to be perfectly honest, knowing only Mrs. Hardy's side of things, it does make more sense that you were the one in the wrong instead of Ric."

"So he walks in here and treat her like a suspect? And what about the way she had just saved Elizabeth and the baby's life, at great risk to her own life? Did they take any of that into account? No, Mac just once again took the word of a hysterical "respectable" witness over that of someone like Sam and me. It happened during Kristina's kidnapping. He wouldn't even listen to reason. He wouldn't even consider any other explanations besides the one that said Sam was guilty."

"Well, it's over now," Gia assures him. "Everything Ric has done is out in the open. He's being thoroughly investigated now in this, and many other matters, including the cover up of the incident here at the hospital with Sam getting the accidental dose of birth control. Cruz was with the other officers when they found the original reports hidden in Ric's office study. And I know you didn't see the need in Elizabeth getting in trouble for this, but if Cruz had continued to cover this up, it would have cost him his job. Elizabeth is going to have to face the music on this."

"That could be a good thing. She did this to herself and has never seemed to be particularly sorry about it," Jason reminds them. "She seems to believe she's justified in all her actions because of her insistence that Sam's keeping me from being with her. Nothing we've done can convince her otherwise. Maybe some court appointed therapy will help."

"I'd think this would all but kill her chances at custody," Sam guesses. "So that means we'd get custody of the baby. Are you sure you can handle that, Jason? Having the baby full time?"

"That may not be an issue."

Dr. Lee walks into the room with Robin close behind. They both have files in their hands and serious expressions on their faces.

"We need to speak with both of you alone," Robin says.

Sam looks at them both, trying to figure out what's going on, but can't tell from their expressions. She just knows it's something serious.

"Gia, could you take the kids home? Jason will be there to take care of them tonight," Sam insists, despite Jason's protest. She turns to him and gives him a look that seems to make him wilt. "Jason, you've been here with me all day and all night. I'm fine now. The doctor will be releasing me soon. The kids need you."

"Okay," he relents, before turning to face Gia. "I'll be home soon."

"Okay," Gia nods. "I'll have them at my place."

She goes to the bed where Sam is and reaches down for the still sleeping baby. Jason manages to wake Tessa up, the perky child rising instantly. She eagerly goes with Gia after giving Sam a kiss and a hug.

"Cute kids," Robin comments. "I heard the two of you had them, but I've never met them."

"You and Patrick will have to come over for dinner or something," Sam offers. "Tessa loves meeting new people. She's be thrilled to be able to hear stories about Jason when he was younger."

"There will be none of that," Jason laughs to cover for his nervousness. He walks over to Sam and perches on the side of her bed, putting a protective arm around her. Like Sam, he's not sure what to expect from the women, but he can sense it's something serious.

"I can see the two of you are wondering why we're here," Kelly starts. "I'm not entirely sure how to explain this. I guess I'll start with coming clean about my real reasons for wanting to do this test, even though this should technically stay between Elizabeth and I. I suppose that doesn't really matter anymore, though."

"What do you mean by real reason?" Jason is curious. "You said that with nobody except Sam there to witness the birth, you had to do DNA tests to be sure who the baby's parents were before filling out the birth certificate."

"That wasn't true," Kelly says regretfully. "It was just an excuse to get another paternity test without making you suspicious. See, at Elizabeth's last appointment, which would have been the day of the accident, I explained to her my doubts about the validity of the results of her baby's paternity test. There were computer problems at the hospital that day and several other patients' test results were affected. There was a good possibility hers was too. So I told her she'd need another test done to be certain of the baby's paternity."

"And no one told me this?" Jason asks angrily.

"Jason," Sam says soothingly, placing a calming hand on his arm. "She didn't have a chance to say anything to you. I'm not claiming that she would have told you until it became absolutely necessary. But I'm saying that she was too busy running for her life to have had the chance to tell you anything."

"You're right," he nods. "Sorry. Continue, please."

"I had a feeling that the tests were wrong, so I came up with that story I told the two of you about needing the DNA test to make sure the birth certificate was accurate. I only needed to test Jason and the baby, but I also tested Elizabeth and Sam to cover that fact."

"So were you right? What did these latest tests say? I'm not the father, am I?"

"No. You're not. Lucky is."

He just nods again, assuming there was no other possibility.

"Are you sure?" Sam wonders. "There no mistake this time?"

"I ran the tests myself as a favor to Kelly," Robin explains. "She wanted to be sure this time. Elizabeth is the baby's mother. There was no surprise there. There is no genetic connection between Jason and Elizabeth's baby. Again, that wasn't a big shock based on our suspicions going into the test. The big shock came when we ran the baby's DNA against yours, Sam. There was a match."

"What? You said that Elizabeth is the mother. How could I be a match?"

"Not that kind of match," Robin explains. "There's no doubt from the tests I ran that Elizabeth and Lucky are the parents to this baby. But the tests showed that you are genetically connected to the baby, so that means you are genetically connected to one of the parents. Has Alexis told you anything about your biological father?"

"Nothing," Sam says. "She just tells me it was some boy at school. Are you saying that Elizabeth's father or Luke Spencer could be my father?"

"I don't think so," Robin shakes her head. "After discovering your connection to the baby, I tested your DNA against both Elizabeth and Lucky. Turns out, you're related to Lucky. But not sibling close like Lulu, or even half sibling close like Nikolas. I'd say possibly a second cousin, aunt, niece, or something like that. Your father could be a cousin of Laura or an uncle of Luke's for all we know."

"And that's the problem. We just don't know," Sam sighs. "Alexis won't tell me anything. So how am I supposed to find anything out?"

Just then, there's a knock on the door and Lucky clumsily stumbles inside, a baby tucked in his arms and a look of shock on his face.

"Sorry to interrupt. But I was told to come in here."

He phrases it almost like a question and Sam can see that the baby news came as a big shock to him as well.

"Congratulations, Lucky," Jason says, giving a quick glance to the baby. "We just heard the news."

"Yeah, thanks. Sorry about . . ."

"No, don't apologize. I'm fine with things turning out this way," Jason assures him. "That baby belongs with you."

"I just wasn't expecting this. I got a call to come have another paternity test since I wasn't even tested the last time. And now I'm walking out the hospital with a baby. I don't have anything at all set up for him."

"Don't worry. We have plenty," Sam says. "Jason, how about you go call one of the guards to pack up all the stuff I bought for the baby and bring it here for Lucky. I need to have a word in private with him, if you all don't mind."

Kelly and Robin nod and leave the room. Jason gives her a look to make sure this is what she really wants.

"Are you sure you want to get into this right now?"

"I'll be fine," she assures him.

He nods and gives her a kiss. Then turns to give Lucky a warning.

"You hurt her, you deal with me."

Lucky gets a confused look on his face as Jason walks out.

"What was that all about?"

"Just Jason being Jason," she says, trying to lighten the moment. "He didn't mean anything by it. I guess he's just nervous because people don't tend to react favorably to the news that they're related to me."

It takes a few seconds before it sinks in what she said.

"Wait . . . what did you say? Related . . . how?"

"We're not sure yet," Sam shrugs. "We just found out from Kelly and Robin not five minutes before you walked in this room. Apparently Kelly had suspicions about the paternity test. Since she didn't want to come out and say to Jason that he might not be the father, she made up a story about needing to do tests to prove who the baby belonged to, since no one but me witnessed his birth. It seemed plausible to us, so we let her take the samples right then and there from me, Jason, and the baby. She didn't really need mine, but they ran it anyway and that's how they discovered a link between the baby and me through you."

"We're related?"

"Apparently," Sam nods. "But not a really close relation. Right now, we're guessing that my biological father, about whom I know absolutely nothing, is related to one of your parents."

"This is so unbelievable," Lucky says, shaking his head.

"Yeah, it is, isn't? Sorry if this isn't what you want to hear, but . . ."

"Wait, is that what you think I meant? No, Sam. That's not it at all. You're an amazing woman. I've always wondered where you got that Spencer Spirit from. Now I know you came by it honestly."

That makes her laugh. Then cry. Jason bursts in and would have tossed Lucky out if he didn't have the baby.

"What did you do to her, Spencer?"

"No, Jason. It's not what you think."

Jason carefully looks at her and realizing she's crying tears of joy.

"You're okay?" he asks to be sure.

"I think she's just a bit overwhelmed to find out about more family," Lucky smiles.

"Yeah, maybe," she nods, wiping at the tears on her cheek. "I just didn't expect this kind of reaction. Very few people . . . accept me, warts and all. But you make it sound like I carry a family legacy or something."

"The Spencers are far from perfect. Just take a look at me, my dad, or my Aunt Bobbie. And especially Carly. You're not so different from the rest of us."

He smiles when he stands, pausing before bending over to give her a tentative kiss on her cheek.

"I should really try to get him settled. But I'd like to visit with you more, if that's all right. Maybe help you figure out the mystery of who you are. That's what I do now. I'm a private detective in a town about 45 miles from here. My partner and I have our own agency."

"That's impressive," Jason nods. "Good for you. What are you going to do about the baby, though?"

"We can work from anywhere. So I'm going to talk to Crys about maybe setting up shop here for awhile, at least until Elizabeth wakes up and we can decide on a custody arrangement."

"Good luck with that," Jason sighs. "I've had serious issues trying to make a reasonable request of her."

"The way Elizabeth feels about you is unreasonable, Jason. When I left her, I honestly didn't think she'd risk all we had on the chance that you could love her back. I mean, everyone can see how devoted you are to Sam. But she was determined to try. I can't believe she thought marrying Ric was a good idea. Or what she did to you, Sam. That was just unbelievable. You're a great person for risking your life to save hers."

Sam's mouth drops wide open with the comment, so she doesn't get a chance to say anything before Lucky leaves.

"Get used to it, Baby. You're a hero to Lucky. And now that you're family to boot, I think they're going to make a big deal out of you for awhile."

"This is just so surreal, Jason," Sam gushes. "What are the chances that everything can go right for us? You finding out the baby isn't yours. I find out I have more family than I ever realized. Family that actually wants me. Ric being investigated for all the crap he's pulled. It's like both our birthdays and Christmas all rolled into one. I feel like nothing can go wrong today."

Jason smiles and pulls her close.

"Me, too. It's a good day to be us."

"Not so good," Cruz says, pushing the door opened. "I'm sorry to interrupt. You don't believe how sorry I am."

"What's going on, Cruz," Sam asks, taking Jason's hand in her own. "I thought Gia said all the talk of charges against me has been dropped."

"It's not you, Sam. It's Jason." He regretfully turns to face the man who's become a good friend over the past few months. "I have to ask you a few questions and I pray you have the right answers."

"Just say it Cruz. What am I being accused of?" Jason flat out asks.

"Murder. Someone killed Ric Lansing."

TBC . . .


	26. Chapter 26

IN THE MIDST OF IT ALL  
Chapter 26

* * *

Carly walks into the hospital room to find a frantic Sam desperately trying to put on some clothes.

"Sam! What are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing," she snaps. "I'm getting dressed. I have to get out of here."

"Why? To stumble your way down to the PCPD for Jason? And do what, Sam? You can't even walk. How are you going to get there? And if you manage to make it, what do you plan on doing?"

Sam deflates. Carly is right. There's nothing she can do that would be a help to Jason. She just hates that he's in this mess at all and feels that it's her fault.

"It should be me. The cops wanted to blame me for this whole mess with Elizabeth and the accident, but Gia demanded they look elsewhere. They did. And they found all this evidence proving some of the awful stuff Ric has done. Plenty of motive for Jason."

"You don't think Jason did this, do you?"

"Of course I don't," Sam insists. "There was no need for the risk with all the evidence the police had against Ric. Plus, he was all but dead anyway. There was no need to kill him."

"Somebody didn't think so. Who do you think offed him?"

"Carly!"

"What? Too insensitive?"

Sam tries to hold back her amusement, but it's no use. She can't find too much sympathy for Ric's death, either. Her outburst of laughter goes a long way for her state of mind and she's finally able to relax, trusting that Jason will be fine and will be back to her soon.

"Jason sent you, didn't he?"

"He knew you'd be going crazy in here. And I was probably driving him crazy at the PCPD. So it wasn't a surprise when he asked me to come here to make sure you didn't do anything crazy like try to check yourself out of the hospital," Carly says, giving her a pointed stare that makes Sam blush in embarassment.

"He knows me too well. But I worry about him, you know? He's been through a lot in the past few days. My accident. The baby. And now this."

"Baby? What about the baby?"

Sam's eyes widen with excitement.

"That's right! You probably haven't heard yet," Sam says with a grin. "The baby isn't Jason's. It's Lucky's."

"What! I knew that heifer was lying," Carly says, shaking her head.

"She didn't know. Not for sure, anyway. Just before the accident, Dr. Lee told her it was possible there was a mistake and that she needed another test. But we didn't find out until Dr. Lee ran tests yesterday."

"I bet you were happy."

"I guess," Sam shrugs. "I had gotten used to the idea of him, you know? I was looking forward to having a baby in the house. Plus, I felt responsible for him since I delivered him. There was a strange bond there that, as it turns out, wasn't just imagined on my part."

"What do you mean?"

"This is where the story gets really unbelievable," Sam says as Carly unconsciously leans forward to hear the juicy news. "When they were running all those tests on the baby, they found out that I was related to him. Through Lucky, fortunately. I don't know what I would have done if I was related to Elizabeth."

"Wait, back up a minute. You and Lucky are related?"

"I know! Crazy, right? But true. Robin ran all the tests herself. We're figuring that whoever my biological father is, he's related to either Luke or Laura."

"So it's possible we're related too?" Carly asks her, the look on her face unreadable.

"Yeah. Is that a problem?" Sam asks, unsure now at Carly's reaction. They had begun to form a tentative friendship over the past few months. Sam doesn't realize until now just how much that friendship has come to mean to her. Now that it could be ending.

"Carly, say something," Sam begs as the silence in the room grows longer. Her heart sinks when she sees the tears forming in Carly's eyes.

"All this time? We've been family all this time?"

Sam is shocked when Carly reaches out and wraps her arms around her.

"Carly?"

"Oh, just shut up," Carly orders. "Don't ruin this moment."

"But . . ."

"But what?"

"We might not be related," Sam tries to tell her. "The test didn't say which side of Lucky's family I was related to."

"I think you know the truth," Carly says, staring at her. "How could there possibly be two people in this world so like each other unless they're related. Face it Sam. The two of us, we're cut from the exact same cloth."

Carly jumps out of her seat all of a sudden and starts pacing.

"This is too much," she says shaking her head as she continues walking around the room.

"I know the idea might take some getting used to, but . . . it's not a totally bad thing, right?"

"Sam, bad would have been finding out you were related to Elizabeth . . . or Robin." Carly cringes, a shudder of revulsion going through her.

"I resent that," Robin says when she walks into the room. "I'm not sure what you just said, but coming from Carly, it can't be good. And if you two are talking about relations, then I assume Sam has told you, Carly, about what I discovered earlier."

Carly turns to where only Sam can see her and makes a face while she mimics what Robin just said. Sam can't help but laugh, which makes Robin sigh and roll her eyes.

"Yes, oh brilliant one," Carly mocks her. "She told me all about how you single handedly developed a system for testing DNA. You really should share your breakthrough. Heaven only knows what the medical profession has done without that ability."

"Carly," Sam says, trying to hide her amusement, but doing a poor job. "Leave Robin alone. She's been very helpful and nothing but nice to me. But to answer your question, Robin, yes. I was just telling Carly about how me might be related."

"I figured as much," Robin nods. "That's why I came in here - to get permission to run a test on Carly's DNA to see if it matches yours."

"Sure," Carly nods. "You just need a swab from the inside of my mouth, right? Why don't you hop up on this stool so you can reach me."

"Oh, I can reach just fine," Robin says, a mischievous smirk on her mouth. Seconds later, she's wearing a full fledged grin while Carly's screeching in pain.

"What did you just do, you little midget? Pull out a plug of my hair?"

"For the DNA," Robin says, feigning innocence. "I had to get it from the root."

"Whatever," Carly frowns, rubbing the spot on her head where the hair was snatched from. "Just go do the test and leave us alone."

Sam manages to wait until after Robin leaves before the laughter takes over. She laughs until she cries and then she starts laughing again the more Carly scowls at her.

"You know, I take it back. I don't want you to be related to me anymore," she says to Sam.

"Admit it, Carly. That was hilarious. You and Robin are too funny with each other. It's so obvious how much you two hate each other. How did this feud between the two of you start?"

"Like with you and Elizabeth - over Jason. Except in our scenario, I was the Elizabeth of the group. I was lucky, though. Jason didn't love Robin nearly as much as he loves you. And, I knew a lot better tricks than Elizabeth. It didn't take much effort to run Robin off. My tricks didn't work on you, though. You refused to be run off. And once I opened my eyes to the truth, I realized how perfect you and Jason are for each other."

"I love him, Carly. I love him with everything that's in me."

"I know you do. And he loves you totally and completely. You're the best thing that has ever happened to him, Sam. Only when he's with you and the kids have I ever seen him so truly happy."

Sam looks down at her lap, afraid that her emotions are about to get the better of her.

"You're about to make me cry," she sniffs, forcing out a laugh to cover her tears. "I'm so used to fighting with you, Carly. I'm not sure I know how to handle all this . . . bonding."

"I guess you kind of grow on a person," Carly sighs. "I mean, there must be a reason Jason likes you, right? And you do have the sense to hate Elizabeth as much as I do, so how bad can you be?"

"Yeah, I guess you aren't so bad yourself, either," Sam admits. "I guess I do kind of like you . . . a little. I could maybe grow to love you . . . one day. I mean, if it turns out we're related. Otherwise, we go back to hating each other."

"Oh, of course. That goes without saying," Carly nods emphatically.

She notices Sam looking anxiously towards the door and her heart goes out to the woman.

"He's going to be all right, Sam," Carly tries to assure her. "You know how the PCPD gets when someone dies around here. Cruz isn't going to let him get railroaded. I think we should trust him."

"I know. I just worry. Jason had every reason in the world to want to kill Ric. He almost killed me and Elizabeth. And I found out that he really did drug me that night. Those are reasons enough for both of us to want him dead."

"He drugged you? I suspected as much," Carly nods. "I tried to warn Jason about the possibility, but he wasn't trying to hear it."

"It hurts him," Sam explains. "He left me there with Ric, he let his pride stop him from stopping what went on that night. So he blames himself."

"Do you?"

"Never!" Sam practically yells. "Ric is the sick, twisted freak that violated me. He tried to steal Molly from Alexis. Then he came after Elizabeth and me and rammed into our car until it went off the side of the road. We were so close to dying. All because of Ric. He brought his death on himself. And now, Jason may have to pay for it."

- - -

"Tell me again," Cruz demands. "I have to know that every second of your time for the past few days are accounted for, Jason."

"I was at the hospital with Sam," Jason swears. "I never even went near Ric's room."

"We searched his house and found a lot of stuff he was into. A lot of stuff that directly affected you and Sam. It's plenty of motive for wanting him dead. Did you?"

"Want him dead? Of course I did," Jason admits. "I tried on many occasions to convince Sonny to let me kill him."

"Jason," Cruz sighs, shaking his head. "You can't say stuff like that. Not in here."

"Cruz, you know what he did to Sam. I told you how he drugged her that night they were together. You mean to tell me that I don't have the right to want him dead?"

"That's not what I'm saying at all. But it doesn't help your situation any. You've just admitted you wanted him dead. You've just admitted that you've been at the hospital for the past few days. That's motive and opportunity. Once the autopsy comes back, if there's anything that connects you to the death, I'm going to have to arrest you, Jason. I don't want to do that. So help me out. Help me find a way to prove you had nothing to do with this."

"Just like that? You believe in me?" Jason asks curiously. "Just because I said I didn't do it?"

"That's right," Cruz nods. "I know how much you have to lose now. You wouldn't have done something like this unless you knew for sure you'd get away with it."

That makes Jason laugh out loud. Cruz knows him better than he realizes.

"At least you're not naive enough to think that I wouldn't have done this. If given the chance, I would have gladly killed Ric Lansing."

"I don't doubt that. And I don't blame you for feeling that way. So that's why we have to figure out who really did this."

"A lot of people had motive. Besides me and Sam, there was also Elizabeth and her grandmother. But I think Mrs. Hardy still believes Sam was trying to kill Elizabeth. She probably thinks Sam's the one who killed Ric. So my gut tells me she didn't do it."

"And Elizabeth is still unconscious, so she couldn't have done it."

"Mmmm," is all Jason says to that. He's learned the hard way over the years to assume nothing and to take nothing for granted. He's learned that things are not always what they appear to be on the surface.

A knock at the door disrupts his thoughts.

Cruz looks up when the door to his office opens and an officer brings him a folder.

"Autopsy results," he explains, flipping through the contents. "And a few eye witness accounts. Looks like we might have a real suspect."

"Who?"

"Lorenzo Alcazar."

"It makes sense," Jason says after thinking it over a few minutes. "Lorenzo Alcazar and Ric were working together on that botched frame job a few months ago. Although it was never proven, Alcazar probably got nervous about a possible death bed confession from Ric and decided to silence him before he was tempted to talk."

"Well, we have an eyewitness that can place him at the hospital near the time of death and forensic evidence of him being near Ric Lansings room. It's all circumstantial, but enough to bring him in for questioning."

"So, I'm free to go?"

"You're free to go," Cruz nods, a relieved smile on his face. "You know, you'd make a good cop, Morgan. I think you're working on the wrong side of the law."

"And here I thought you liked me, Rodriguez. Why are you insulting me like this?" Jason teases.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Get out of here before I change my mind," Cruz laughs, waiting until his friend leaves before picking up his phone and making a call. "Yeah, this is Rodriguez. Find Lorenzo Alcazar and bring him in. I have a few questions I'd like to ask him."

Hearing that, Jason leaves quickly, hoping to find Alcazar first. He has a feeling the man will have some interesting things to tell him regarding the person who really killed Ric Lansing.

- - -

Lorenzo Alcazar stands outside of Elizabeth's hospital room, holding a bouquet of flowers that covers his face from the nosey personnel milling around. It won't take him long to do what he came to do. He just has to get in there first. Preferably unnoticed, but he's prepared to deal with surprises.

The hallway clears after a few minutes and he makes his way towards the door.

"Where do you think you're going?"

He manages to keep his anger in check and turns a charming smile towards the last person he wanted to run into.

"Mrs. Hardy. It's nice to see you again. I just came by to bring your lovely granddaughter some flowers. If you'll excuse me . . ."

"I'll take them," Audrey says, taking the bouquet from his hands before he can get inside the room. "The doctors are limiting Elizabeth's visitors until she wakes up. But I'm sure she'll be grateful at your thoughtfulness when she finally regains consciousness."

He keeps his expression neutral . . . just barely. He thought he was prepared for any eventuality. This throws him for a loops.

"So she's still unconscious you say? Ever since the accident?" he asks to clarify. "She's been unconscious this whole time?"

"Yes, Mr. Alcazar. The doctors are really quite worried at how long it's been. She should have woken up by now."

"Yes. One would think," he says cryptically.

On that, he walks away, leaving Mrs. Hardy almost as confused as he is. He knows what he saw. Now he just has to figure out what to do about it.

TBC . . .


	27. Chapter 27

IN THE MIDST OF IT ALL  
Chapter 27

* * *

" . . . and the prince and his princess lived happily ever after. The end."

Jason shuts the book as Tessa claps her hands excitedly. He just shakes his head and smiles. It never fails. He's read the same story to the girl night after night for the past 2 weeks and she still has the same reaction.

"That was great, Daddy. Read it again!"

"You know I can't do that, Tess. It's time for you to be asleep now. You're already up later than you're supposed to be. If Mommy were here, we'd both be in big trouble."

Jason stands and lifts the sleeping Trent from next to Tessa on the bed. He walks across the hall to the nursery and gets him settled in his crib, turning on the night light before he returns to his daughter.

"When is Mommy coming home?"

"Soon. The doctors just have to make sure her leg will be okay. She's going to have to be in that cast for a few weeks and be on crutches. So we're going to have to make sure we help her out a lot."

"Don't worry, Daddy. I'll be the best helper ever. I won't let TJ get in her way or anything," she promises him earnestly.

"That's good," he says, pulling the girl into his arms for a hug. "Mommy misses you and your brother. She's going to be so happy to get home to you."

"I can't wait," Tessa says with a yawn, snuggling into Jason's arms. She blinks her eyes sleepily a few times before she finally falls fast asleep.

"How do you do that?" Gia whispers from the doorway, an amazed smile on her face. "I have to read her like six stories before she'll go to sleep."

"She just misses Sam being here. I think she needed reassurance from me. I really should have been here with them sooner," Jason admits. "I'm sorry I've dumped them off on you and Carly so much."

"Jason, it really isn't a problem. You know I love these kids. Cruz and I are more than happy to help out in anyway that we can."

"You and Cruz are good friends to us," Jason says, taking his now snoring daughter to her own bed. Gia helps him get her settled and the two of them go downstairs to the living room.

"Are you going to be here tonight with the kids?" Gia wonders.

"Will it be a problem for you to stay?" Jason asks her warily. "Just this one last time. After tonight, everything should be settled."

"Settled? What do you mean by that?"

"I probably shouldn't say anything. I don't want to drag you into this."

"Too late, I'm in. What's going on, Jason?"

Jason sighs, realizing that he's going to have to tell her something. It's probably for the best, though. He could use a little legal advice anyway.

"Okay, but promise me you won't interfere. This could get dangerous."

"What could get dangerous?"

Jason and Gia look up to see Cruz coming in the door. He walks over to the couch and bends down to give Gia a kiss.

"Cruz, it's a good thing you're here. I think Jason's about to do something crazy. Maybe you can talk him out of it."

"It isn't crazy. But it might be the only way to find out who really killed Ric Lansing," Jason explains.

"So you're not buying that it was Lorenzo Alcazar?" Cruz asks.

"Do you believe that?"

"I don't know," Cruz shrugs. "He had reason. He was there. We got the eye witness placing him in the hospital at the time. We got evidence that he had been in and/or near Lansing's hospital room. Of course he denied everything when we questioned him. But he's the best suspect we have at the time."

"But not the only one," Jason reminds him. "Two women with every reason in the world to want Ric dead were also alone and at the hospital at the time of his death."

"You're talking about Elizabeth and Sam? But both of them were incapacitated at the time. Sam was just out of surgery and couldn't move around without assistance. And Elizabeth is still unconscious."

Jason shrugs.

"I just don't think the obvious in this case is a true representation of what's really going on," he says cryptically.

"What are you saying? You think . . ."

"I don't want to jump to any kinds of conclusions or cloud your judgement in anyway, Cruz. But I have a way to prove my theory one way or another."

"How?"

"Just be in Sam's hospital room tonight. If I'm right, then you're going to see a show that you won't want to miss," Jason assures him.

Now, all he has to do is make it happen and pray that his plan works.

---

After making sure the kids are settled in for the night, Jason and Cruz head to the hospital. Jason drops in to see Sam for a few minutes, but she can tell by the look in his eyes that he's anxious to get his plan underway.

"Jason, I'm going to be fine," she tries to assure him, but her nerves cannot be totally hidden. She grabs onto him with a shaky hand and is reluctant to let him go. "Cruz will be here. He won't let anything happen to me."

"I know," Jason sighs, bringing her hand to his lips for a brief kiss. "I still worry, though. I'm about to play with fire, Baby. And you're the only one at risk of being burned."

"So you've changed your mind about this?"

Jason hesitates a moment before shaking his head no.

"If you don't mind being bait, then I think this can work. It still makes me nervous. Killers can be unpredictable. And I might be sending one in here with you."

"That's where I come in," Cruz chimes in. "I won't let anything happen to her, Jason. I swear."

"I'm going to hold you to that," Jason nods, giving Cruz a warning glare. "Hopefully by the time this is done, you'll have my killer and Sam and I will have our life back."

Jason gives her one last kiss before walking out the door. Sam's expression immediately falls.

"What's wrong?" Cruz asks.

"Despite what you think of him and his lifestyle, Jason is about to go do the one thing that he's terrible at."

"At that would be?"

"Lie," Sam sighs, remembering how that's one skill her hitman is missing. "He doesn't grasp the concept of "pretend" very well. He can evade the police's questions because that just goes with the territory. But flat out lying just isn't his way."

"Great. An honest mobster," Cruz jokes. "Who would have thought?"

"It's crazy, right?"

"Not so much. Jason's a good guy," Cruz admits. "I'm glad that I've been given the chance to really get to know him. His honest nature should shock me, but it doesn't. He's a lot more honorable than a lot of the so call city officials I've come across in my day."

"You're a good guy too, Cruz. Most cops wouldn't help us like this. So, thanks."

"Not a problem," he says with a blush. "Now go to sleep. We want to see who comes in to kill you."

"Who do you think it is?" Sam wonders.

"I have no idea. But Jason seems convinced that he does. I guess we'll have to wait and see."

- - -

Jason peeks his head inside the door and waits to be invited inside.

"Jason? What are you doing here?"

Mrs. Hardy gently places her granddaughter's hand on the bed and walks towards the door.

"I just wanted to check on her. How is she doing?" he asks, feigning concern.

"She'd be a lot better if your girlfriend hadn't "helped" her," Audrey snapped. "I hope when Sam is released from here, they take her straight to jail. Elizabeth shouldn't have to deal with the woman who tried to kill her and steal her baby."

"You really believe Sam was responsible?"

"I most certainly do. Odd how Ric Lansing, the person she blamed for this whole thing, is now dead and can no longer defend his good name. Sam surely killed him, too. That woman is dangerous. It's no wonder my poor, sweet Elizabeth didn't want her to have anything to do with the baby. I guess that won't be a problem now, since Lucky turned out to be the father. Thank goodness for small favors," she says before looking up at him with an embarassed loook on her face. "I mean, I know you must be disappointed in the results."

"I am," Jason nods, easily telling that lie. "I believed for so long that baby was mine and I was looking forward to being a father to it. I'm sure Elizabeth and I would have worked something out, no matter what Sam said."

"Ah, so you finally admit that it was Sam keeping you and my granddaughter apart. What a sad, desperate woman she must be," Audrey says, shaking her head.

It takes everything in Jason not to wrap his hands around the older woman's throat for what she's saying about Sam. But for his plan to work, he has to let her think she's swaying him to her line of thinking.

"Sam has . . . problems," he admits, pretending to reluctantly let out that bit of news. He fakes a concerned glance over at Elizabeth. "Frankly, I'm worried about her mental state. Things have happened that have concerned me."

"Really? What kinds of things?"

"Well, the other day . . ." he pauses for dramatic effect before shaking his head. "No. I shouldn't bother you with this. You have enough on your hands worrying about Elizabeth."

She shakes her head again and reaches out for him, pulling him to sit with her in two chairs next to Elizabeth's bed.

"Talk to me, Son," she encourages him. "What you say will stay between us."

"What about her?" he says, tilting his head towards Elizabeth. "Is she really unconscious?"

"Yes," Audrey nods with a weary sigh. "Ever since the accident. I'm beginning to worry about why she hasn't woken up yet."

Jason gives her an intense look and realizes the woman is telling the truth. Or at least, the truth as far as she knows it. That's going to make this even trickier.

"I'm sure she'll wake up soon," Jason says, giving the woman a comforting pat. Maybe sooner than you think. He keeps that silent thought to himself.

"Now tell me. What has you troubled?"

"It's Sam. I've been trying to ignore the signs, but something's off with her. She's been seeing Lainey, but neither of them will tell me what goes on in the sessions."

"But you're worried now. Any particular reason?"

"Yeah," Jason nods. "Ric. She hated him. She blamed him for ruining her life. I'm afraid she might have . . . done something to him."

"You think she killed him?"

"No, it's nothing like that," he says quickly. "But she has . . . moments. Moments when she's not so clear headed. The doctors say it's too much morphine. She's on a self dosing machine for when the pain in her leg gets too bad. So maybe she has been taking too much. But there are times when she's not so lucid that she claims she saw Elizabeth kill Ric."

"That's not even possible!"

"I know," Jason agrees. "Now you see why I'm so worried? She even has the police coming tomorrow to take her statement. Do you know how crazy she's going to sound, blaming Ric's death on a comatose woman? The doctors warned her that they'll commit her if they find out she's been taking too much morphine again. If she talks like this around them, I'm afraid they're going to follow through with those threats."

"Jason, Dear," Audrey says gently, as she places a hand on his shoulder. "Perhaps that would be for the best. Let Sam get the help she needs and then you would be free to be with Elizabeth."

Jason has to close his eyes to keep Audrey from seeing the murderous glare in them. He has to keep reminding himself that Mrs. Hardy is only drawing the conclusions he's leading her to. This is what he wants. He wants word to get out that Sam is just one shove from going over the edge. But it still hurts that someone could think so little of the woman he loves.

"I don't know what to do to help Sam. But I can help you," he says, finally calm enough to face her. "How about we get out of here? I can make sure you get home safely. You look exhausted."

"That's so kind of you," Audrey smiles, wondering to herself how long it will be before he becomes her grandson. She won't let Elizabeth throw away this last chance with Jason. She'll have to do whatever is in her power to make sure they can be together. She goes over to Elizabeth's still form and whispers that very sentiment into her granddaughter's ear.

"Don't let this opportunity pass," she says so quietly that only Elizabeth would be able to hear if she were awake. "Jason is yours for the taking. Just come back to us."

"Are you ready?" Jason asks, holding the door open for the woman.

"Yes," she says, giving Elizabeth one last look. "What happens next is up to her, I supposed. But I have a feeling you've given her the hope she needs to go on."

"I hope so. I hope she proves to me she's the woman I think she is," Jason nods. "Let's get you home."

He gets the woman settled in his car and lets out a relieved breath. The hard part has been done. The trap has been set. Now, they just wait to see who falls into it.

- - -

The silence begins to overwhelm her. It seems like it's been hours since Jason left. She can't help but wonder how long this is going to take. She can't help but wonder who, if anyone, will be walking through her door tonight.

"Hey, you're doing all right over there?" Cruz asks her from his hiding place in a darkened corner of the room. He tries to stretch the cramping muscles in his neck, but to no avail. "You're lucky you get to stretch out all nice and comfortable on that bed over there. I'm dying in this little corner."

"Hopefully this will all be over soon," she says, unable to hide the nervousness in her voice. "I just wish I knew what to expect. I don't think I'd be so anxious."

"We'll have to wait and see," Cruz shrugs, looking down at his hip in shock when his phone starts vibrating. "This thing always scares me to death when it's on vibrate mode."

He answers the phone, making sure he stays out of sight in case someone is watching the room.

"Yeah . . . No, I'm in the middle of something right now . . . Really? At the hospital? That's interesting . . . Just keep an eye on him and let me know who he goes to visit."

He hangs up the phone without a good-bye sets it down on the floor next to him. He's grateful for the darkened room so Sam can't see the worry on his face.

"Cruz, who's at the hospital? The person coming to get me?"

He can hear the fear in her voice and decides to tell her the truth.

"Possibly," he admits. "It's Lorenzo Alcazar. We questioned him earlier but couldn't get anything solid on him. He knows something. He just isn't talking."

"Why is he in the hospital?"

"I wish I knew, but . . . " Cruz stops when he hears something outside Sam's door. He lifts a finger up to his lips to signal for her to stay quiet and steps back into his hiding place. His hand goes to his hip, pulling the gun from the holster, readying it for whoever comes through the door.

Across the room, Sam realizes what's going on and tries to calm herself, pretending to be asleep. She hears the door slowly creak open, then just as quietly, it closes. Someone just came inside. She can sense them. And that someone is walking closer to her bed.

She hears her name spoken softly in the darkness.

"Sam."

Sam nearly startles at the familiarity of the voice. It's Elizabeth.

"Sam," Elizabeth calls to her again, moving closer to her bedside. "I wish you could hear me. Because I'm only going to say this once. Thank you. You save my life and you saved my baby's life. And because of that, I should return the favor."

Curiosity gets the better of Sam. She has to know what's going on. She lets out a sleepy sounding groan and pretends to wake up, feigning shock at seeing Elizabeth standing over her bed.

"Elizabeth? You're awake? What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to take care of a problem," she says, slowly moving over to the other side of the bed where Sam's IV is standing. "You saw me, so now I'm going to have to make sure no one will believe you when you tell."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Sam says, shaking her head. "I can't tell what I don't know."

"Don't pretend with me. I know you saw me kill Ric," Elizabeth confesses so nonchalantly that it starts to scare Sam. "It doesn't matter now, though. No one will believe that a woman in a coma could have done such a thing."

"You've been faking your coma?"

"The whole time," Elizabeth nods. "At first, I just needed some time to think. I was hoping Jason would have the decency to visit the mother of his child and make sure I was okay. He would have been so sad and despondent over my tragic condition and after a day or so, I was going to let him see how his love brought me back from the brink of death. I would have made him promise that we would become a family. But he never came. Not then, at least. He came tonight. And it was worth the wait. He all but begged me to get rid of you for him. And that's what I intend to do."

"You can't kill me," Sam argues. "You said so yourself. You owe me your life."

"It's really very easy," Elizabeth says, running her hands over the controls of the different machines next to the bed. She stops at the self dosing morphine machine and lets her hand hover over the button. "One push of one button and it'll all be over so quickly. That's how I killed Ric, you know."

"You're crazy," Sam gasps, realizing finally what Elizabeth is capable of.

"No, Sam. I'm not the crazy one. The doctors here are going to think you're the crazy one after your morphine overdose."

"Overdose?"

"Mmm hmmm," Elizabeth says absently, her attention focused on getting the medication started into Sam. "They're going to lock you up in a nice, padded cell until you get your mind back. Of course, they're going to see how truly demented you are when you start in on your claims of seeing me kill Ric."

Sam starts to struggle, trying to pull the IV out of her arm, but Elizabeth grabs onto her hands and stops her. From the angle she's standing, she has much better leverage against Sam and has the lion's share of the strength.

"Don't fight it, Sam. You're just going to sleep for a good long while. And if the doctors can save you, you're going to take a little bit of a vacation in detox."

Elizabeth gasps at the feel of hard, cold metal against the base of her neck.

"You're the one taking the trip. Hands off Sam. Now!"

At Cruz's bellow, Elizabeth jumps to obey. She slowly steps away from Sam and turns around.

"Get your hands up, Elizabeth. Don't make me tell you again."

"You don't understand," she cries, trying to get sympathy. "Cruz, this isn't what it looks like."

"Elizabeth Webber, you are under arrest for the murder of Ric Lansing and the attempted murder of Samantha Morgan. You have the right to remain silent . . ."

"No, don't do this. Please," she begs him. "Sam's good as dead if you don't get her some help. Too much of that morphine will kill her."

"Not if my IV isn't really attached," Sam chimes. She removes the fake needle from the skin on her arm and shows Elizabeth the unmarred site. "Looks like I'm not as crazy as you think."

"What's going on here?" Elizabeth screams angrily. "Was this all just a set up?"

"One that you walked right into," Jason says as he walks into the room. Two officers and Lorenzo Alcazar follow him inside. "As it turns out, Elizabeth, the police really did have a witness to Ric's murder. You mistakenly assumed it was Sam."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Elizabeth claims. "I want a lawyer. I'm suing the department for this."

"Give it up, Elizabeth. You came in here to make me OD on morphine, just like you did Ric," Sam points out.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I woke up from a very long coma and came here to thank the woman who saved my life. No one here can prove otherwise."

_"Don't pretend with me. I know you saw me kill Ric. It doesn't matter now, though. No one will believe that a woman in a coma could have done such a thing."_

Silence fills the room as all eyes turn to the tape recorder in Sam's hand.

"Would you like to hear more?" Sam asks smugly. "Perhaps the part about how you planned to . . ."

"I . . . I . . . " Elizabeth stutters, too stunned to come up with any more lies.

"Face it, Elizabeth. You're caught. We have your own words confessing to your crime as well as an eye witness." Cruz turns to Alcazar. "I'm assuming that's why you're here?"

"I saw the whole thing," Alcazar nods. "Both that night with Ric and just now with Sam."

After getting a nod of acceptance from Cruz, he turns and leaves them all to straighten out the mess.

"Jason," Elizabeth turns to him, turning on the big, fake tears to try to gain his sympathy. "You can't do this. What about our baby?"

"Lucky's baby," he tells her. "Fortunately, I dodged that bullet."

"What?"

"The baby is Lucky's," he explains slowly, speaking to her as if she were a child. "Not mine. There's nothing anymore tying us together. It's over, Elizabeth."

It finally seems to sink in and she nearly collapses onto the floor. The two officers stand on either side of her and hold her up while Cruz handcuffs her. They all lead the tiny woman out the room as her rights are continued to be read to her.

In the silent room, a grateful Sam falls into Jason's eager arms.

"It's over," he whispers to her, stroking her hair to calm the trembles wracking her body. "It's finally over."

"No. Not yet. I have to get out of here. Jason, take me home," she demands. "Then, it'll truly be over."

He forgets about protocol or about her doctors. They were going to let her out tomorrow anyway. Right now, she needs to go home. And he needs to take her. They need for this nightmare to finally be over.

He scoops her up into his arms and holds her close to his chest. She lets out a contented sigh and reaches up to press a kiss to the underside of his chin.

"I love you," she says sweetly, dropping her head back to his chest. "I never realized how much until I almost lost you. But I didn't. You're still here. In the midst of all we've been through over these past few months, you're still here."

"I'll always be here, Sam. Because in the midst of it all, I realized that I couldn't live without you."

She smiles at his rare offering of such sweet words. And makes a vow to herself to never again let him find out what life would be like without her.

"Let's go home, Jason," she sighs, a sudden rush of peace flowing over her. "Let's go home and see our kids."

To be concluded!

Stay tuned for the Epilogue


	28. Chapter 28

IN THE MIDST OF IT ALL  
Chapter 28

* * *

**Epilogue**

_Nine months later_

The joyous sounds of laughter pour from the doors of Kelly's, making her realize how much she's missed the place. As much as she loved it, however, she vowed to never spend another day waiting tables there. But now, she doesn't have much of a choice. Not if she wants to survive.

She walks inside and every eye turns to her. She supposes she'll have to get used that happening until people forget about what's happened.

"Elizabeth."

Emily is the only one who says anything. Elizabeth starts to walk towards her old friend, but is stopped by Milo before she can even take two steps.

"I'll handle this, Milo," Emily says, giving him a gentle smile that has the young bodyguard blushing, which in turns, earns him a punch in the arm from Lulu, his girlfriend of three months.

"Since when does Kelly's need bouncers?" Elizabeth asks her, frowning when she realizes Emily is pulling her towards the doors. "What are you doing? I came to get a burger and to ask Mike about a job."

"I can guarantee that won't be happening," Bobbie says, walking up behind the two of them. "The burger . . . or the job."

"You can't refuse me service just because of my conviction," Elizabeth argues.

"No, I can't," Bobbie agrees. "You're free to enter this establishment whenever we're open for business."

"Fine. Then I'll be going for the burger now."

"I don't think so," Bobbie stops her again. "We're not open for business. Kelly's is closed every other Thursday evening for family night. It's a new tradition we Spencers just started a few months ago. Just family invited. Last I checked, that doesn't include you anymore."

"But why is Emily invited? And Milo? They're not Spencers," Elizabeth points out.

"Milo and Lulu are a couple now. And Emily comes to spend time with Jason, Sam, and the kids."

"Sam? She isn't a . . . "

Bobbie just gives her a smug grin and heads back inside. Elizabeth turns to Emily who fills her in.

"Sam's birth father was related to Luke. That makes her Lucky and Lulu's cousins," she explains. "Sam is one of the main reasons they started these get togethers, so that she could spend time and get to know her new family."

"So, what now? I'm out and Sam's in? After what she did to ruin my life? Everyone can just replace me like that?"

"Don't start that, Elizabeth. You ruined your own life. And you'd still be in prison paying for it if Nikolas hadn't used his influence to get you that measly six month pysch evaluation in Roselawn."

"Nikolas was just being a friend. You remember what that is, right? It's what we used to be. But I guess you wouldn't know since you bailed on me when I needed you most and then you dump Nikolas for supporting me."

"Elizabeth, Sam is married to my brother, which makes her my sister now. I don't see how you can expect me to sit around and support you while you try to kill her."

Elizabeth sighs and shakes her head in disappointment.

"She's infected you, too. She waltzes all over my life, taking and destroying everything I love and she gets away with it. Unbelievable."

"No, Elizabeth. You're the parasite."

Emily bites her lip and looks over Elizabeth's head at the person who's just walked up.

"Sam. You and Jason take the kids inside. I was just explaining to Elizabeth . . ."

"No, Emily. I think this is something that needs to be settled between Elizabeth and me once and for all," Sam insists.

Sam gives Jason a look and he just nods, taking both kids and leading them inside of Kelly's. Against her better judgment, Emily follows him, leaving Sam outside with Elizabeth.

"Are you sure she's going to be okay?" Emily asks him once they reach inside.

"This is what needs to be done," Jason says after some hesitation. "This confrontation has been a long time coming. Sam and I let Elizabeth get away with too much before because she was pregnant. Now that she isn't, Sam is free to fight her the way she needs to be fought. Elizabeth needs to know who she's truly dealing with. My wife is a scary woman, Em."

Emily's worries melt away when she sees the look of pride on Jason's face at that assessment of Sam. He seems to be sure Sam can handle this, so she doesn't worry about it either.

But, there really was no need to worry about anything at all. Sam had no intention of fighting Elizabeth. Why should she? She's already won.

"Go ahead, Sam. Get it over with. Nothing you can say can hurt me," Elizabeth spits out at her.

"Elizabeth," Sam sighs, shaking her head. "You really believe I care that much about you to bother trying to hurt you? Trust me. My life and my family are too important to you to stoop to your level of fighting. No, I just have one thing to say to you. What you do with it is up to you."

"Fine. What is it?" Elizabeth folds her arms across her chest and glares at Sam.

"I forgive you."

"What?" Elizabeth gasps in shock and disbelief. "You forgive me? For what? You're the one who ruined my life."

"I'm sorry you feel that way," Sam says with a shrug. "I really was hoping your therapy had rehabilitated you in some way. I was hoping you realized when Jason testified against you at both your criminal and custody trials, that you would have gotten the clue he wants nothing to do with you. I was hoping when you saw how Jason never came to visit you, that you would have realized that he doesn't love you. I was hoping when you found out that it was Jason that set up that sting to flush you out as Ric's killer, I would have finally sunk in that you mean nothing to him."

"I mean something to him," Elizabeth insists. "That's why you are so threatened by me."

"I'm not threatened," Sam says, the same bored look on her face. "I'm not worried at all by you. Elizabeth, we've all moved on."

She steps aside and lets Elizabeth look inside of Kelly's to see the joy and fun going on inside. Then she turns around and points to the approaching couple.

"See Lucky? The so called love of your life? The father of your child? He's moved on, too."

Elizabeth pales at the sight of Lucky snuggles up close to a gorgeous woman with curly dark hair and a creamy brown complexion. The little girl giggling happily in Lucky's arms has the same skin color as her mother, but sports braids instead with colorful beads on the end.

"Who's she? Is that the whore he married to steal my son away from me?"

"Whore?" the woman at Lucky's side asks as she walks up to the duo. "Sam, you talking about me again?"

The amusement on the woman's face is evident, as is the annoyance on Lucky's.

"Elizabeth," he growls menacingly.

"Baby, I got this," the woman says. "You take Kailey and Enzo inside. Let me and Sam handle this."

"He's not going anywhere with my son," Elizabeth snaps. "You can at least let me see him, Lucky."

"You've been out of Roselawn for almost a week now," Lucky points out. "You haven't even called. Why do you pretend like you care now?"

Nevertheless, he sets the little girl down and flips the cover up on the stroller so she can see the baby.

"Hi, Baby. Momma's home now," Elizabeth coos. "We'll be together again before you know it."

"No!" Kailey screams, grabbing onto Lucky's leg. "Daddy is she going to take our baby?"

Lucky shoots a glare at Elizabeth and picks up the girl.

"Go on in," his wife nods. "Sam and I will handle this."

Lucky takes the kids inside and the two women circle to surround Elizabeth.

"Okay, let's get a few things straight. First, my name is Crystal, Crys for short. Not Whore. Second, Lucky and I were married before he found out about being your baby's father. So we didn't marry as some plan to take your child."

"When you dumped Lucky all those months ago, he left town and met Crys. At first they just worked together doing some PI stuff, but they ended up starting their own company and falling in love. She's been your son's only mother since the day he was born. You were too busy faking a coma and going around killing people."

"I . . . I . . ."

"You what, Elizabeth? There's no excuse for that. Killing Ric was one thing. Trying to kill me was another. But neglecting your newborn child just so that you could run some scheme to try to get Jason is unforgivable."

"And pathetic," Crys adds. "Everyone in town thinks so."

"She'd probably be better off leaving, don't you think, Crys?"

"Not without my son," Elizabeth screams. "If I leave town, Enzo is coming with me."

"What about Cameron? You know, your other child? He's finally happy and settled with Audrey. He spends every weekend with me, Lucky, and the kids. You would uproot him like that? Do you care at all about your children, Elizabeth? Or do you just do what's best for you?"

"I love my children," she claims.

"You have a funny way of showing it." Sam takes Crystal's hand and pulls her towards the door. "Let's go, Crys. We've wasted more than enough time here."

The two women walk inside, leaving Elizabeth out by herself. She peeks in the window and it finally hits her about what Sam said. The people inside are laughing. They're loving. They're living. Without her. They've moved on and have forgotten all about her.

She watches Sam walk to Jason's side and how they instinctively fall into each other until they look as if they're one person. She watches Tessa and Kailey sit together on Milo's lap, giggling at every word that comes out of his mouth. She watches Carly and Bobbie emerge from the kitchen, their arms around each other showing their easy mother/daughter bond. She watches her own son in Crystal's arms while Lucky stands over her shoulder cooing at him.

She finally realizes all that she's lost. All that she's thrown away. And she doesn't know if she'll ever be able to get it back. She gives them one last look before walking away, sadder and more alone than she's ever been in her whole life.

- - -

"You okay?" Jason asks, looking down at Sam as she watches the crowd. Her eyes are suspiciously moist, like she's about to cry.

"I'm happy. Jason, I'm truly, truly happy. I have you, the kids, and a great family that actually loves me and accepts me. They've done nothing but embraced me from the minute they found out who I was. I don't think I could be happier."

"Not even a little?" he asks, giving her a look filled with mischief.

"Why do you ask?" She's suspicious now, especially after he gives Lucky a nod. "What are you two up to?"

"Just a little surprise for you."

Just then, a man comes down the stairs, his grin wide and his gaze aimed at Sam. His body is tall and lean, but muscular. His dark, wavy hair falls in a careless, tousled style over his head that would make a woman want to just run her hands through it.

She can see that she's not the only woman having that same thought. She looks to the side and sees Emily's eyes practically glaze over and her mouth fall wide open. Then she shrieks and runs to the man. The man laughs and pulls her in for a deep kiss that makes even Sam blush.

"Whew, I've been waiting to do that since we were 12, Slim Em," he says with a big smile.

"Sly Eckert! What are you doing here?" she asks him

Sly looks over at Lucky, a desperate pleading in his eyes.

"Please tell me Em is not who I came to meet," he practically begs his oldest and best friend.

"No," Lucky laughs, walking over to pull his friend into a hug. "Not Emily. You don't have anything to worry about."

"Good. Then Em, babe, we'll catch up later." He gives her a wink before walking off with Lucky as they make their way around Kelly's.

"How about the cute blond over there," Sly motions with his head over to Lulu.

"Sorry, Bud. That's my baby sister, Lulu."

"You're kidding? Dude you're lucky she takes after your mom," he says with a laugh. "Nubian goddess in the corner?"

"My wife," Lucky practically growls, suddenly not so amused by Sly's roving eye.

"Calm down. I'm just kidding." He walks over until he's just in front of Sam, shaking his head. "It would figure it would be you."

"What would be me?" Sam asks curiously as she stares up at him, gasping when she sees him watching her though eyes that look exactly like her own.

"That the most gorgeous woman in here would turn out to be my sister."

"What?" She looks first at Lucky and then at Jason. They're both nodding their heads. "How did you figure it out?"

"Spinelli did, actually. He started with that private school Alexis went to and searched to through the attendance lists. We talked to old friends of Alexis' and came up with some names of boys she had been seen with that year. The one name that kept popping up belonged to someone who didn't actually attend the school, but worked in that small town in Maine during the summers. He was Alexis' summer fling. She never even knew his real name."

"Which was?"

"Bill Eckert. My father's look a like cousin," Lucky explains. "He and Sly came to Port Charles when we were just kids. But unfortunately, Bill was killed not long after. Sly was raised by an aunt."

"I have an aunt, too?"

"And a couple of cousins. Aunt Jenny had just gotten married when we left Port Charles. Her and Paul have had a few kids."

"This is so unbelievable," Sam gasps, shaking her head.

"Are you okay?" Jason asks, concerned at her reaction.

"Okay? Jason, this is amazing!" She wraps her arms around him, then around Lucky, and finally around Sly. She steps back to get a good look at him and smiles, taking his hand. "Now, if you two gentlemen will excuse us, I think I want to go get to know my brother a little better."

Sam and Sly walk away, leaving Lucky and Jason to stare after them.

"You think she's really okay?" Lucky wonders.

"She's really okay," Jason nods, a peaceful smile on his face. "Everything is finally okay."

Things were actually better than okay, but he didn't want to push their luck. But for right now, he'll admit to himself that things are finally just as they should be.

The end.

* * *

Thanks for reading! I hope you all enjoyed the ride.

A few last notes:

1 - I picture Sly Eckert as being played by some what of a cross between Oliver Hudson and Paul Walker

2 - For those of you who don't remember Sly, he really did exist. It was back with Jonathan Jackson was Lucky, Amber Tamblyn was Emily, and they all were like 12 or 13 years old; His father, Bill, really was Luke's look a like cousin (the role was played by Tony Geary, of course).

3 - Lucky's wife Crystal was mentioned very briefly in the chapter where Lucky finds out that the baby is his and he finds out he's related to Sam.

4 - Speaking of the baby, I named him Lucas Lorenzo Spencer III, Enzo for short.


End file.
